I am starting a new thread with this and hopefull will get some suggestions quickly. I do not know how many of you have had to place your LO in a home, but we are at that point and found a placement which I am hoping will be a good fit for him. Seems like it could be. My question deals with what to bring. I am bringing furniture from home that hopefully will be familiar to him. I am also bringing some paintings his mom painted of his childhood home place as well as some other things (business and gold momento's) I have been told these things will help my DH and the staff make him more comfortable and provide them with valuable insight in order to make a relationship with him. Now I am asking what are some other things (practical as well) that anyone can suggest. He does have his own full bath and will have all the assistance he needs, but what are some items that will make it easier. For example, is there a soap/shampoo combo so he has one choice. Things like that. I am heartbroken that I am faced with this step, but prayerful that this is the best for him as well as our family. Thanks.
When Tina took Andrea in, she selected items that meant a lot to her. She took her name plate from her desk at work, a snow globe of UT, and a small stuffed animal that she had really liked. Lots of pictures. Tina was most worried that the items would 'disappear' (not stolen by the staff but squirreled away by another resident!). So she picked items that weren't too irreplaceable. Pictures should be copied before, so that there is another copy if needed.
Make a detailed list, and take a picture of the items as a group. Again, if an item gets picked up by another resident, you'll have a much easier time letting the staff keep an eye out for it with a picture in their head.
trisinger, thank you for your advice. I do not know how to express how kind I feel you are as you are helping me while you are going through such a difficult time. I will be remembering you all day in my prayers.
My DH really appreciates the pictures Yes the one I put in a frame for his nite stand got legs and walked so I have a padded note board up on his wall so he can see it from his bed and he really loves it. I have pictures of our dogs and family and the big truck he used to drive. My DH also wanted a pillow from his bed because right now he can smell home and it helps him sleep. He wants his pullover sport shirts cause he gets tired of all buttons. The NH also has the ceiling tiles that you can hang things from like a windsock or model airplane or whatever his hobby might have been.
I did a couple of things for my husband. I labeled some of his favorite family pictures of who people were and they were hung in his room. The second thing he took was a scrapbook of some copies of family pictures that were also labeled. The staff at all three places he has been have liked this a lot.
Another thing I did was a write-up of his life. This contained stories he had told me of his life over the years from when he was a young child through our relationship. The staff also liked this a lot as it helped them get to know him. I know many of them read it as they commented on some of the stories. Doing this was also therapuetic for me, it helped me to realize that he had had a full and wonderful life. I can also read this now and it reminds me of the person my husband used to be.
The only other advice I will give you is to go with the attitude that everything you put in with him may take a walk and you will not see it again. So, if it would upset either of you if it disappeared, think twice about putting it in his room.