When you help to move your elderly parent into an assisted living facility, it's important to do your research to determine what amenities are available in residents' rooms. Some assisted living homes offer fully furnished units that residents can simply augment with a handful of personal effects; in other facilities, residents' rooms are basic, but they are allowed to move in with many items from home, including furniture. If the facility you've helped arrange for your parent belongs in the latter category, you don't want to assume it belongs to the former category and show up with a shortage of items, for example. Moving your parent into the facility with these items can make him or her feel more comfortable.

Bed

Your elderly parent doesn't necessarily have to use the provided bed at the assisted living facility. In many cases, residents will have access to a bed in their room but also have the choice of providing their own bed. Talk to your parent about this issue — there's a strong likelihood that he or she will favor the bed from home, as it will provide a high degree of comfort and familiarity. The room may not be able to accommodate a large bed — although you should confirm this detail — but, at the very least, it should perfectly suit a smaller bed from your parent's home.

Decor Items

It's customary for residents to hang family photos in their rooms and set up other small items to make the new space feel like home, but many assisted living facilities allow their residents to move in with larger decor items, too. An area rug, for example, can provide a cozy quality as long as it doesn't become a tripping hazard. A favored set of drapes from your parent's home can possibly be hung in lieu of the drapes that are already in place.

Kitchen Accessories

While your elderly parent will be able to enjoy visiting the dining area at the assisted living facility, he or she may also want to prepare in-room drinks and snacks on occasion — for example, when you and your family visit. To this end, being able to move in with some kitchen accessories is handy. Make sure to find out which accessories and small appliances are on the approved list. In many cases, things such as a microwave, coffee pot, mini fridge, and other similar items are OK for residents to have in their rooms.

Contact facilities like Hilltop House Assisted Living to learn more about items often allowed in residents' rooms.

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