If you have a friend or family member in a nursing home,

it can stir up a myriad of emotions. It can be a feeling of relief that qualified people are taking care of your loved one, but it can also feel as if it is a strange place. You can make it feel more like home, just by visiting and spending time with them.

When you visit consider:

• You can visit in their room, outdoors, common areas, or dining room. To host a larger group of people who might visit, ask a staff member ahead of time to reserve a large room.
• Bringing along items to make their room more homelike, for example, photographs, small throws or quilt to cover up with, small decorative pillows,  pictures, books, magazines, knick-knacks, photo albums, etc…
• Doing something active together: Play a favorite game; read a short story from a book or read a favorite passage from the bible; make a phone call to a friend or family member with them; rub lotion onto hands and arms; share a favorite snack; listen to favorite music; read a letter; look at pictures from a photo album; take a walk indoors or outdoors; attend an activity together; volunteer to do a task together for the facility or other organization; or simply hold a hand and chat or reminisce.

Here are some more ideas to stay actively involved with your older friend or family member:

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