The GoodHome Report found that 73% of people who are happy with their living space have higher levels of overall life satisfaction. These surveys also went a step further and found that where we live accounts for 15% of our happiness!
Creating homey spaces for comfortable senior living enhances satisfaction with the apartment and makes the transition to a community easier.
Seniors moving into assisted living communities can boost their mental health by personalizing their apartment space. Read on to learn some ways older adults can make their apartment into a sanctuary!
If you're an older adult transitioning to an exciting senior community, you have several options for where to stay.
Whether you are moving into a Napa independent living community or choosing assisted living options, you can choose between multiple floor plans. They include:
Once you and your family choose an apartment that meets your needs, you can begin contemplating how to decorate it.
One of the main reasons it's important to know your living space is that you'll understand how much you can start personalizing.
Residents in one-bedroom apartments can independently decorate four unique rooms. Those in two-bedroom apartments will need to share common area decor ideas with their roommate.
You'll know what dimensions you're working with when moving personal furniture and lighting in. This ensures that you bring along items that fit comfortably into the space.
You'll also know how much wall space you have for artwork. Ceiling height may also contribute to whether you can hang shelves and lamps above you.
Moving to a new home can be challenging and daunting. Bringing familiar objects along can help make the transition easier because they serve as a reminder that you're at home.
Making your favorite area rug or bookshelf a part of your assisted living décor can help you feel more comfortable in your new surroundings. Other benefits of senior living customization with familiar items include:
Well-appointed apartments at the best Napa Valley senior living community already come with comfortable furniture and necessary appliances. However, you can still bring things like:
Since you can also bring your beloved pets to top-notch communities, it's important to bring their things along, too. A cat tree or dog bed can go a long way to making your four-legged family member feel at home, too.
Psychology Today recently published research showing that variety in decor and other lifestyle choices boosts brain health.
Despite the importance of familiarity, our minds also crave change in our surroundings. That's why you should get some new decorations and artwork when moving into a senior living community. These can be small items like:
Adding these to your space helps to positively solidify the major life change of moving into an elder living community. It provides variety amidst the familiar items that you have, symbolizing a fresh start.
Adding some life to your resort-style apartment will make it feel more luxurious. Natural light is important, so throw your treated windows open and soak in some of the California rays from your senior living space.
Add other natural items to your assisted living décor, including:
Plants are easy to care for and only require periodic watering and feeding. However, if you want to save yourself the stress of remembering to do this, you can also opt for artificial greenery and flowers. Several options at craft stores and online are made to look real.
Photos of family and friends have a wide range of benefits, including decreasing the likelihood of loneliness. Adding photos of late loved ones is also a great way to remember them and pay tribute to their memory.
One of the biggest benefits of photos is that they can reduce stress and blood pressure effectively. University of Arizona studies found that thinking about people you care about is just as beneficial to mental health as having them in the room!
This is especially important for older adults transitioning into senior living communities. Moving to a new location can be stressful, especially when you're leaving home for good.
Arranging photos of loved ones in your living space can help make the shift to a senior community easier and nip loneliness in the bud. Choose a wall of your bedroom or apartment and cover it in framed photos of the people and pets you care about most.
People over 65 read for pleasure more than younger people do. Over 38% of seniors surveyed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics regularly read for personal interest.
If you're among them, creating a reading nook in your bedroom or living area is a great idea.
Find a corner of the room that you can access easily. Make sure it's not somewhere that you'll trip over furniture.
Adhere some shelves to the walls with temporary adhesive. Stack your favorite books on the shelves and add a comfortable armchair and ottoman to the corner of the room.
This will give you a dedicated area to relax with your favorite spy thriller, biography, or romance novel!
Now that you know the ins and outs of personalizing senior rooms and creating homey spaces, it's time to find a community in Napa, CA, that lets you express yourself.
The Watermark at Napa Valley has both independent and assisted living options so every senior can get the care they need in our well-appointed community. Apartments come in a wide range of floor plans for senior living customization, so contact our team to schedule a tour and see them in person!