How to Furnish a Care Home

One of the key spaces in any community is a care home. With so many residents in need of care, you want your care home designed to be comfortable and useful for everyone that lives there. The best way to do this is by utilising care home furniture, designed to be more widely accessible. This blog will look at what to consider when furnishing a care home and how to find suitable care home furniture suppliers.

What Makes Care Home Furniture Different?

Care home furniture manufacturers create furniture that is designed to be more accessible. Most often, people in care homes struggle with mobility issues which makes using regular furniture difficult and uncomfortable. As well as this, some residents may suffer from conditions such as dementia, leaving them more vulnerable to accidental injury. Both of these things help to inform the design of this furniture. For example, chairs have reinforced and cushioned backs for better back support.

Furnishing a Living Area

Communal areas in care homes are where residents are able to spend most of their time socialising, doing activities and relaxing. It is important that these areas feel comfortable and welcoming for the physical and mental health of those who live there. Reinforced chairs are vitally important to create comfortable seating areas as well as side and coffee tables. These should not be too low or too high so that residents don’t have to over exert themselves when reaching for things and the corners of these tables are rounded to prevent any accidental injury. These areas should not be placed too far from essential facilities, e.g. toilets or first aid rooms, to make them easier to reach or in case of an emergency. The decorations for these rooms should also be taken into consideration. For all residents, but especially those who have trouble with their memory, a more traditional styled room may seem more familiar, helping residents to feel more comfortable.

Furnishing a Dining Room

Similar to living areas, the dining chairs in dining rooms are reinforced and made to be more comfortable to sit in. This allows residents to eat their meal without having to suffer through back pain. They may even be designed with wheels so that residents can easily get in and out of their chairs while also locking in place so that they don’t move while eating. Cutlery used by residents are designed to be easier to grip as this may be difficult for someone suffering with something like arthritis.

Furnishing a Bedroom

A resident's bedroom is a safe space and one of the most important rooms. Having the right care home furniture is essential to make their stay better. Firstly, the bed should be reinforced and comfortable as many residents suffer with joint and back pain. Allowing them to have a good night's sleep is essential to their wellbeing and can dictate their mood for the rest of the day. There should also be plenty of storage with draws and cupboards, all designed with smooth edges of corners to ensure residents do not injure themselves when there are no staff around. The decorations in this room are also very important. Residents should be able to decorate their rooms with their favourite colours, photos of their lives and loved ones, and possessions they have had for years. These familiar objects will help them to feel more at home even if they don’t live by themselves anymore.

Finding the Right Care Home Furniture Suppliers

It is important that your furniture is not only designed to meet the needs of your residents but they are also up to a high standard. It is important to choose a supplier that has many years of experience as this means they are more likely to have many happy customers and knowledge of the best furniture for your home. As well as this, finding a supplier that is able to help you with all the different rooms in your care home makes the process easier and you are able to do a whole refurbishment without having to keep track and a range of different suppliers.

Conclusion

Care home furniture is essential for residents, helping to make their stay more comfortable and less stressful on their bodies. By finding the right supplier, you can be sure that your home is more accessible to a range of different people with different needs. To learn more about the different types of furniture that can be used in a care home, visit the Barons Furniture website.