We understand that moving from your own home into a room with unfamiliar furniture and decoration can be unsettling at first. Happily, there is plenty that you, your family and the staff can do to help you settle in and make your room feel like a home-from-home from day one.

When you move into your new room there will already be an adjustable bed with handset, lockable bedside cabinet, wardrobe, chest of drawers/dressing table, armchair and a TV. Rooms can vary in size but, ideally, you will have seen your room (or something very like it) before you move in, so you know how much space you have and what to expect. There will also be free Wi-Fi in your room and throughout the home, and there is plenty of space for wheelchairs if you need one.

We strongly encourage you and your relatives to personalise your room by bringing some of your own things with you. Obviously, these will include your toiletries and clothes (which should be individually named) but you can bring more of your own possessions, too.

As long as there is enough space in the room for staff to attend to your care needs safely, we are perfectly happy for you to bring small items of furniture – your favourite chair, a coffee table or even your own chest of drawers. It is best to discuss such requests with the home manager before moving in so that the home can make suitable adjustments to accommodate your possessions. Smaller electrical items, such as lamps and DVD players, will need to be tested for safety by the home.

Adding favourite pictures, photos and ornaments is a great way to make your new home feel more familiar and is useful for the staff, too. Seeing your family photos and treasured mementoes helps them to learn more about you, and talking about them is a good way to begin to make friends.

Plants and flowers are popular with many residents and, if you enjoy feeding the birds, how about bringing a bird feeder for your window sill?