Caring for my own parents and taking them through this difficult transition prepared me to design ways to acknowledge the difficulty of leaving home for unfamiliar people and surroundings. Taking furniture, pictures, and personal items, and decorating the new space to mirror what our loved ones are familiar with gives great comfort…right down to the order of clothing in the closet and in drawers. Each new assisted living space is different in size and orientation. The more we can do to make it feel like home the better.

(Here’s a bit of advice: when I helped my parents move to an assisted living facility, I took photographs of the dresser top and made notes of what was where in the bathroom and kitchen.)