Once you or your loved one decide to move to a senior living community, it can be a little overwhelming to know what to do first to prepare. One important step is determining how you’d like your new space to look. Consider what to take with you and where everything will go.
You’ll want to keep a few things in mind as you think about decorating your new apartment. Here are five tips to help you begin.
How to Make Your New Senior Living Apartment Feel Like Home
1. Bring items that provide comfort and evoke fond memories – As you downsize your current home, note which pieces of furniture, art, clothing, and other possessions mean the most to you. What do you want to be surrounded with in your new senior living apartment? Which items will bring you joy and provide comfort to you?
2. Choose smaller, more functional furniture – You’ll likely have less space in your senior living apartment. For this reason, you may need to buy some new furniture that is smaller and has multiple uses. Reducing clutter will make it easier to move around your apartment and help reduce your risk of tripping and falling.
Choosing furniture that can be used for more than one purpose is particularly useful in smaller spaces. You might select a couch that can double as a bed or a kitchen table that can extend to accommodate more people. Make sure you set aside a special place to do hobbies or your favorite activities.
3. Add lighting to make your space feel bigger – Filling your senior living apartment with light will not only increase visibility but also help make the space feel larger. You can add light by choosing neutral paint colors, adding ample lighting in each room, hanging mirrors, and selecting natural tones in furniture, window treatments, and bedding.
Don’t be afraid to add color and bold patterns for contrast, especially if it reflects your personality. You want to create a relaxing retreat that’s inviting and comfortable. It should feel like home and be a place you look forward to returning to at the end of the day.
4. Select plants to breathe life into your apartment – Plants and flowers can breathe life into a room and provide a sense of personal fulfillment to their caretakers. If the thought of keeping a plant alive is stressful for you, consider trying artificial plants or ones that thrive well with little care.
5. Use wall space for shelving and framed art or photos – Hang artwork or framed photos on walls to form a meaningful, visual display — and to help prevent clutter throughout your apartment.
Ask your community if maintenance can put items on the walls for you or install shelving. Typically, these types of services will be included as part of your move-in or welcome package.
Consider Hiring a Senior Move Manager
As you go through the process of downsizing and moving, remember to ask for help from the senior living community and family and friends. It’s a team effort and can be overwhelming to take on by yourself.
Senior move managers are a great option as well and are trained to address the emotional challenges that often surface when downsizing and moving to senior living. You can search the National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers (NASMM) website to locate a senior move manager near you.
Life at Sonrisa Assisted Living
If you’re looking at options for senior living, we invite your family to visit Sonrisa Assisted Living, designed to support your loved ones to live their highest quality of life.
We offer studio and one-bedroom private apartments for our assisted living residents as well as private or shared memory care suites for those living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Our memory care residents are cared for by our compassionate and specially trained team — who meet them wherever they are in their journey with patience and kindness. The residents also have access to customized activities, programs, and an elevated secured courtyard.
Our amenities and services encourage our residents in assisted living to engage with others, remain as independent as possible, and be reassured that help is available whenever needed.
In addition to our personalized services, we offer:
- Assisted Living dining room, bistro and two sitting lounge/living room areas
- Memory Care living and dining room
- Elegantly designed common areas
- Fitness and wellness center with physical and occupational therapy room
- A commercial kitchen
- Barber and beauty salon in both assisted living and memory care areas
- 24-hour on-duty care staff
- Secured community
- Art room
- Multipurpose room
- Large state‐of‐the‐art theater
- A large secured Assisted Living and separate Memory Care courtyard with walking paths
- On‐grade parking for immediate use of visitors and staff
- Dog Park
If your family is considering retirement living, we hope you will visit Sonrisa Assisted Living. We are a trusted resource and are here to answer any questions. Contact us today to learn more and schedule a tour.
You may also download our complimentary brochure to get additional details about Sonrisa Assisted Living.
