What Makes a House a Home
by Family Councils Ontario
At the Walk with Me Conference in March 2016, attendees were asked “what three things would you not give up when moving into Long-Term Care?” There was a wide variety of responses to this question. Common responses were access to the outdoors, sleeping in late, a glass of wine with dinner, visitors whenever we want, lots of music, and pets. This conversation resonated with me because these are all simple pleasures that make our house a home. So, what does this tell us about LTC?
As we continue along the culture change journey, LTC Homes are making efforts to make the buildings where residents live truly their Homes. What this means is truly unique to each person, as evidenced by the many different responses to the question “what three things would you not give up when moving into Long-Term Care?” LTC Homes are places where people receive care, but they are primarily where people LIVE. So, what makes a LTC Home somewhere people would truly want to live?
As a pet lover, I can’t fathom living somewhere that doesn’t have pets. I’ve had cats and dogs (and other pets with 2 or 4 legs) since I was a child. My two cats (photo on the left) bring me great joy. If I moved into a LTC Home that didn’t have pets, I think it would break my heart. The sense of loss would be immense. Having pets is part of who I am; it feeds my soul. My favourite part of my day is sometimes seeing my cats (though I wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to crank up the radio or sit in the park to enjoy a warm summer day!) and to think of living somewhere without that is sad. As a family member or LTC staff member, what makes a LTC Home feel like home to you? What makes it feel warm and inviting? Those two or three essential things will be different for everyone, but we all have those essential things we wouldn’t want to live without. Those are what makes a house a HOME.
There is a wealth of evidence on the benefits of pet therapy, along with evidence on intergenerational therapy, garden therapy, music therapy, etc… If we take a look at what each of these therapies have in common, we see that these are all things that give our lives meaning and bring us joy. These are all things that we have in our personal homes. As we move along the culture change journey and focus on creating environments where people thrive, consider the small but yet essential pleasures that make a house a Home. When I or my loved ones need LTC, I know I’ll thank you for your efforts.
What three things would you not give up when moving into Long-Term Care? Let us know! Go to https://www.facebook.com/FamilyCouncilsOntario/ to comment.
- Samantha