How to Create a More Comfortable Care Environment

Having to move into a care home is never a nice experience for an older person or someone living with a disability who is no longer able to care for themselves. The concept of having to leave their home behind and move into a completely new environment is incredibly daunting and can cause a large amount of anxiety and even fear.
 

There are often concerns relating to how at home they will feel in their new environment and how comfortable life in a care home will be, which is why it’s so essential that care home design is created with comfort at its heart. Of course, in the healthcare industry, there is an ongoing battle to ensure that all equipment and furnishings used are the perfect combination of functional, hygienic and aesthetically pleasing.
 

Whether the care environment is a care home, a hospice or a specialist dementia facility, it’s essential that the design and the decor is both homely and comfortable in addition to being highly practical and easy to keep clean. Although the combination of these essential factors can be hard to imagine, it is possible to create the ideal care environment, it just takes a little planning and creativity, that’s all.
 

Want to know how to create a more comfortable care environment? Have a read of the tips and ideas below!

 

Creating a homely space
 

Comfort is often linked to homeliness, which means that achieving a care environment that feels homely is of extreme importance. When it comes to searching for that perfect care environment, Age UK suggests that people look for care facilities that have a homey and comfortable look and feel to them, which highlights the importance of creating this kind of space. The key is not to create a space that looks overly cold or clinical.
 

Studies have shown that a design that looks homely can help to make people feel more comfortable and can make moving into a care environment less daunting or intimidating. Studies have also shown that many care environment residents feel that these kinds of spaces create more of a community look and feel, which can aid the quality of life offered. The good news is that there is a large amount of furniture and equipment available to make care environments feel cosier and more homely space - at CLH we have a wide range of suitable products available that are perfect for creating a more comfortable care environment.

 

Focus on the decor, colours and lighting choices
 

In terms of making the space feel less clinical, the colours and decor used are vital. What research has shown is that the decor of each care facility should differ depending on who the space is meant to appeal to. For instance, in dementia units research has shown that vintage decor can help to calm and soothe patients and the decor is from the time period that the residents tend to remember. It’s amazing how much of a positive impact taking steps like this can have on the residents living in a care facility, so it’s something that’s worth considering.
 

Other research has shown that utilising colours in the design of environments that are for caring for people with dementia can help to aid relaxation. It’s also been noted that using bright, bold colours can help to draw the eye to objects of importance, such as bathroom grab rails that are brightly coloured are easier for people with dementia to spot. The benefit of this is that this means that it’s far easier for these individuals to remain mobile and not lose all of their independence by having to rely on carers more than neccessary.
 

Another study has found that natural light can help to influence people’s mental state and their ability to stay mobile. If you want to aid how at home residents feel in the environment that you create, and thus more comfortable it’s essential that lots of natural light is allowed into the space. Another option, if not enough natural light is possible to bring into a space is to use high luminance lighting, which has been shown to replicate the same effects that natural sunlight can create, such as improving people’s moods.

 

Furniture design
 

If you want to create a homely environment, it’s essential that you ensure that your care facility has a selection of carefully selected pieces of furniture. The idea is that the more discreet the furniture looks - and the more ‘normal’ it appears and less clinical - the more comfortable and welcoming the space will be.
 

Of course, not all types of care environment furniture and equipment are easy to make look less clinical and more welcoming, such as features such as grab rails and side rails. It’s also important to remember that many features come with set guidelines, such as bed rails which have their own regulations in England, which means it can be hard to find a suitable bed that offers the correct level of safety without looking too clinical. Luckily, at CLH we have a wide range of beds available that are not only safe and secure but that also don’t look too clinical or intrusive.
 

When it comes to the armchairs on offer in your care home, it's also crucial not to select designs that look or feel too clinical. At CLH we have a range of Kingsley Rise & Recline Armchairs available that are not only specially designed to meet the needs of your care environment residents but are also designed to offer superb comfort and boast incredible style, helping you to create a more welcoming environment. These armchairs come in a range of options, including standard and compact designs, they have single or dual motor options, and they are designed to offer an exceptionally comfortable and supportive experience. 

 

Hositing devices
 

In recent years, hosting systems have come on a long way, with many design changes put in place to help create hoists that offer more comfort and look less clinical. There are various hoist types to choose from, some of which can be carefully integrated into a room and hidden behind a cupboard to create a far more homey feel.
 

At CLH, we offer a wide range of different hoisting options, these include a variety of designs to choose from. So whatever your care home’s needs, we can help you find the hoist that best fits your requirements and helps to keep your facility looking and feeling as homely and welcoming as possible.

Simple steps like these can make a huge difference in care environments and can help to make these kinds of spaces feel more comfortable and more welcoming.