Heading to short term rehab, whether during an illness or while recovering from an injury, will likely be an overwhelming experience for your elderly parent. They'll be away from the comfort of their own home and bed, and their independence is sure to feel compromised. But there are a few things you can do to help make your parent feel more at home while in short term rehab so their experience is safe and comfortable – consider implementing one or more of these ideas:  

Create a Collage

By putting together a large collage of photos to hang on the wall in your parent's room at rehab, you can help your parent keep memories of their favorite things from home alive and well throughout the entirety of their stay. Include pictures of pets, a favorite chair or couch with loved ones sitting on it, the backyard garden that your parent tends every season, and anything else that tends to be important in your parent's everyday life at home. Present the collage as a surprise gift to brighten your parent's first day at the rehab center.

Personalize the Décor

To make your parent's room at the short term rehab center feel more like their own home, consider personalizing the décor so it's familiar to their senses. Put a couple of your parent's couch throw pillows on the seating in the rehab room, and place some of their favorite knick-knacks on the side tables of the bed. Set a few of their most read books on the table by the television, and hang a clock on the wall that came from your parent's bedroom at home.

Hang a Calendar

Your parent is sure to anticipate your visits during their short term rehab stay. So to give them something to look forward to, consider planning and committing to a series of visits and documenting them on a calendar before they head off to rehab. You can then hang the calendar on the wall by the door of their room so they can check it every day and determine when to expect your visits. This tactic should help create some anticipation for your parent to enjoy during their stay so they are less likely to focus on the uncomfortable aspects of their stay.

These methods will not only help your parent feel more comfortable during their short term rehab stay, but they may even improve your bond with one another so you can enjoy your relationship even more once rehab becomes a memory of the past. To learn more, contact a company like Valley View Retirement Community. 

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