Putting a loved one into residential care can be one of the most difficult decisions anyone can make. Primarily, you worry about elderly relatives’ health and wellbeing. Also, the guilt at not being able to manage their needs can be overwhelming. Your priority is making sure that they will be well cared for emotionally and physically in a warm, comfortable environment.
As the main decision-makers of where to house their loved ones, family members need to gain a good impression of senior living facilities. Alzheimer UK created a checklist to help with this important decision. They advise people reviewing care homes to consider:
- Is the atmosphere homely and welcoming?
- Is it clean and pleasantly decorated and furnished?
- Are there any unpleasant smells?
- Do residents seem alert and interested?
Alleviating family’s concerns by creating a relaxed care environment
When seeking a care home for relatives, families are advised to seek a residence where the environment is as comfortable and homely as possible. Studies show that scents are best at fighting anxiety when they create feelings of cosiness*. Neutralising scents can be used to clear common rooms of body odours and other unpleasant smells, which makes families feel more confident, and residents more comfortable and at ease.
With so much choice in care facilities, first impressions and ongoing perceptions are important for reviews and recommendations. Ambient scent increases positive evaluations by 25%*, so creating the right environment can be helped with the introduction of carefully chosen fragrances.
Breaking down emotional barriers at visiting time in care homes
Visitors are often understandably intimidated by the sights, sounds, and environment within nursing homes, respite care homes and other elderly care facilities. This can result in emotional barriers being put up in relationships between the visitor and the resident. In turn, this causes a strain on relationships that residents truly cherish. It’s possible that the discomfort felt by visitors combined with the challenging relationship can even result in a reduction or even complete halt in visiting as time goes on.
Creating a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere is a challenge for every health care facility, be it large or small. PremiumScenting fragrances are often introduced to nursing homes to not only calm residents but also worried visitors. For example, researchers have found that the fragrance of vanilla bean elevated participants’ feelings of joy and relaxation*. Soft Veil from PremiumScenting offers a warm Tahitian vanilla aroma to help calm the senses.
Scent is the most emotive of our senses. With the right scenting programme, care homes can achieve a wonderful balance of benefits to meet the needs of residents, visiting families and hard-working staff. Understanding the unique challenges of your care facility to offer you a customised scent solution is the main focus of our certified scent experts. They take the time to define the perfect solution for your care environment.
To find out more download our care homes report at: https://www.premiumscenting.com/scent-pioneers/elderly-care/
Sources:
*1. Concordia University
*2. Scent Marketing Institute
*3. Effects of Fragrance on Emotions: Moods and Physiology, Stephen Warrenburg
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