‘Home from Home’

‘Home from Home’

Bringing personal items with you when you move into a care home, such as Birchwood House, is a simple and effective way to make it feel more like home. Photographs, paintings, books, souvenirs and small pieces of furniture all hold sentimental value it’s important to create that ‘home from home’ feeling when starting a new chapter of life in a care home.

Birchwood House retains its air of being a much-loved family home, and its 31 bedrooms – which include some double rooms for married couples – are mostly south and west facing with views over the rolling High Kent Weald. We understand that many of our residents are downsizing from a larger family home that maybe they’ve lived in for many years – and that it can be a highly personal and potentially emotional process, so it’s especially important that the new surroundings look, feel, smell and sound like home.

Photographs are one of the simplest items that can make a new room feel like home when residents move in. Being surrounded by framed pictures of smiling grandchildren or pets – even much older photos from bygone times can be reassuring, especially to those suffering from early-onset dementia.

Before the move, spend some time thinking about specific household items that hold the most meaning to you or your loved one. Everyone has something in their house that says ‘home’ to them; ornaments or mementoes of a wonderful holiday, framed art, a favourite quilt, throw or cushion, potted or artificial plants, a special vase, antique, clock or reading lamp. Being able to bring those precious, familiar, personal items when you move in can make a big difference on how quickly our residents adjust and settle in.

By trying to re-create at least a small corner of ‘home’ means that when you wake up in the morning, you’ll see the same books, photos, and memorabilia as before and waking up in a room that feels familiar can be reassuring during a potentially unsettling period. Bringing these simple items to Birchwood House can contribute to a sense of homeliness, comfort and wellbeing.