Category: Senior Care

Why (and How) to Personalize a Nursing Home Room (SeniorCare)

Posted by Dr. El - September 24, 2013 - For Families, Senior Care

Here’s my latest article featured in SeniorCare:

Why (and How) to Personalize a Nursing Home Room

As a psychologist in long-term care, I’ve walked into thousands of rooms over the years. Among many mostly bare quarters, a few stood out for their warmth and their ability to convey the life of the person living there.

Why is it so important to decorate the room of your loved one when they aren’t able to do it themselves?

For the Resident

Even if their stay is expected to be a brief one, it’s important for their room to have a personal touch. Moving from home to hospital to rehab can be disconcerting for most people and disorienting for many, especially those with dementia.

Having a personal item or two can be reassuring and can act as what mental health professionals call a “transitional object.” A transitional object for a young child might be a teddy bear that accompanies them to a sleepover; a transitional object for an adult could be a treasured photo of their parents or their wedding day.

Aside from providing a touchstone during a difficult time, room decor can be a powerful reminder of who your loved one has been in their life before they became “a patient.” Staff may refer to Mrs. Rivera as “the lady in 214,” but when she enters a Room 214 filled with reminders of her life and accomplishments she can feel comfortable and proud.

A resident with a few photos on the side table has constant reminders that there are people who care how they’re doing—their personal cheerleading squad. For residents with dementia, it’s helpful to write the names of the family members and their connection. Mrs. Cook, for instance, can look at the photo and be reminded that she is seeing her youngest son Tom and not a familiar face she realizes she should know but doesn’t.

For the staff

A personalized room reminds staff that someone is checking on Mrs. Cook. It also helps them give Mrs. Cook the care she needs. For example, if staff members see a photo of her in her flower garden, they’ll be able to make a personal connection, perhaps sharing a discussion of gardening while engaging in previously challenging personal care. If they know Mr. Smith used to work nights, they’ll be more able to understand and perhaps accommodate his unusual schedule.

How to decorate

There are many ways you can personalize a room, but if you can do only one thing, bring or mail in labeled photos of the family. Use copies, not originals. Other important items include a picture of the resident as a young person, photos of them engaging in valued activities (such as heading to work, on a special trip, or with grandchildren), and copies of awards or diplomas reflecting their contribution to the world. Asking your loved one if there’s something they’d like from home can identify what’s most important to them and increase their sense of control. As wonderful as fresh flowers are, if you’re not there in three days to remove them or to regularly water a plant, consider long-lasting artificial flowers to cheer a windowsill. A (labeled) quilt not only transforms the look of a room from institutional to homey, but allows your loved one to feel literally covered with affection.

4 Simple Ways Families Can Make a Difference During a Long-Term Care Stay (SeniorCare)

Posted by Dr. El - August 22, 2013 - Dementia, For Families, Senior Care

Here’s my first article for SeniorCare.com:

4 Simple Ways Families Can Make a Difference During a Long-Term Care Stay

When your mom or dad is in a long-term care home—whether it’s for rehab or a longer stay in a nursing home or assisted living—it’s a big adjustment for the whole family. Nerves are often frayed from dealing with major decisions during a medical crisis, and it’s likely you’re concerned about your loved one getting proper care.

While certain aspects of the situation are frustratingly out of your control, there are some steps you can take to make your loved one more comfortable and their time in the home more rewarding.

1.  Attend the Care Plan Meeting

Early on in your parent’s long-term care stay and periodically thereafter, there will be a meeting to discuss how treatment is going and what adjustments are needed. This is the single most important time for a family member to be at the nursing home (or to connect via conference call or video chat). Key people from each department are gathered to discuss how Mom or Dad is faring, so this is your best opportunity to raise concerns and have them addressed and written into the plan of care.

2.  Bring food from home

Of all the complaints I’ve heard as a nursing home psychologist, among the most common is one about the food. Of all the compliments mentioned about family visits, the highest praise is reserved for a visit followed by the comment, “And they brought me something to eat.” Give mom or dad a break from the facility kitchen by bringing in a special treat – and be sure to check with the dietician or nurse first to be sure it meets with dietary guidelines. If your parent is on a chopped diet due to swallowing difficulties, for example, the kitchen may be able to chop up the food so it’s safe or the dietician can recommend foods that are already sized appropriately.

 3.  Set up a chain of contacts

Admission to a long-term care setting is a hectic time and often one family member takes the lead in keeping track of the situation. To reduce the pressure on the one family member and to increase the number of social supports for mom and dad, consider giving more structure to the help offered by friends, neighbors, and relatives. For example, one friend, neighbor, and relative might be designated to call others, so that the lead family member only has to contact three people in order to start the chain of support. Or a schedule can be created for calls, visits, and outside meals. With four people on the schedule each taking a week, your loved one can be assured of weekly contacts while the helpers are responsible on a manageable once-a-month basis.

 4.  Bring photos and other mementos

Even for a brief stay, having a family photo on the table can be hugely reassuring for a resident, reminding them of who they are, who they’ve been, and that there are people who care about them. It reminds the staff too, and gives them an inkling of whom they’re helping. Remember to bring a copy of a photo and not a precious original and to label everything. Other ideas: a picture of your loved one in their younger days, a quilt or blanket to make the room homey, and a telephone programmed with frequently called numbers.