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Finally got mom to try assisted living. Unfortunately she could only get a tiny studio with a an ugly view of big mechanical units of some kind. I can't believe they don't try to disguise them with fencing or something. Mom is on waitlist for another room, but it could take a long time and I think this view is demoralizing for any resident. Any ideas?

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You might speak with the administrative staff and ask what you can bring in to block the ugly view. I'm thinking of tall artificial planters with foliage; buy some artificial roses or lovely flowers at Michael's or JoAnn Fabrics and make a beautiful artificial indoor flowering bush.

Another alternative is to bring in artwork reproductions and set the pictures in the window; facilities often have window sills on which the art could be set.

But my preference would be to create an indoor artificial flower garden.

Another alternative would be to hang mandalas from a curtain rod so they're hanging down just at the level of the equipment. Madalas with glass are nice because not only does the colored glass provide lovely colors, it reflects the sun, sometimes bouncing off the wall and creating interesting patterns.

Wintertime "blocking" decorations would be easy - use construction paper or even the patterned paper sold at Michael's and Jo-Ann's for scrapbooking and create large patterned snowflakes.

Artifical ornamental grasses could also be used. Large reasonably priced vases could be filled with colored glass to anchor them. The glass would provide a nice complement to the ornamentals and might even reflect sunlight through the vase.

Another example would be to use a similar arrangement and fill it with large sunflowers and cascading foliage or flowers.

These might not block the entire view, but at least would block some of it.
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There are great ideas in the post above. I'd try them or I might ask the facility about putting a nice decorative fence to conceal the unit and offer to pay if it's not too much. I think that stuff is pretty lightweight, easy to set up and not expensive.

Also, do they allow curtains? This spring I found some lovely colorful curtains with brightly colored floral print, but they are thin and allow some light in. You might try several things to see what works. I found that while I put a lot time into my cousin's room in Assisted Living, I found that she didn't spend that much time there. She was normally in the sitting room, tv room or dining room. They also had an outdoor patio. There were many things to do and little time to spend in the bedroom except at night.
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There is a great window film available that adheres to the glass with static cling, so it is easily removed. I have used it myself to cover the lower half of my street facing windows.
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Rosy, curious what does your Mom think of the view from the window? If it doesn't bother her, then let it be.

I find not having a view out a window can be depressing, even if I have to look at rooftop air conditioning units... at least one could tell how the weather is outside, see the clouds, birds, etc.
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Thanks for your ideas. I have put up a sheer cafe curtain to obscure it when sitting and will try to put some artificial flowers or maybe hang some of her colored glass items. I know she will notice because we toured a beautiful facilty elsewhere and when we went into the model room she instantly complained of a similar view.
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In al, your mother shouldn't be spending a lot of time in her room, except at night.
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Babalou, I know, but she is highly resistant to being social due to super bad hearing and all around stubbornness. She will probably hunker down for a while looking for reasons to hate it. I am trying to find my own stubborn genes to make her stay where she is safe. Trying also to make the room as pleasant as possible. I am counting on the pros to pry her out.
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is she on the first floor? Could you put a bird feeder of some sort out there? My mom loved watching the birds. there are pole feeders, hanging feeders, and window feeders, even a table or shelf with black sunflower seeds or peanuts would attract squirrels, or birds.
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Lassie's suggestion is a good one. There was a bird feeder outside Dad's room during one of his rehabs for a broken leg. We both found ourselves watching for little winged visitors.

I would raise the issue with the Admins, offering suggestions so that they see you're trying to address the issue rather than complaining.

Another is for the facility to plant bushes, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and/or flowers safely away from the equipment to just block it out.


I've thought of some other ideas that we've used.

There are now cardboard type decorated pieces, similar to poster board but more sturdy, on which greeting cards can be held. They'll hold perhaps a dozen and a half, depending on size of the cards. Dad still has his from his 2013 rehab.

You could send her cards, or leave one with her whenever you visit, and it could be added to the board. Or encourage family and friends to send cards to fill it quickly.

Cards are attached either by double sided tape, push pines or thumbtacks.


Using that same base, you can also put up photos of:

(a) Baby animals, scenery, family....whatever relaxes her and something she enjoys.

(b) Magazine photos, especially from magazines like Nat Geo, Country, Country Extra.

(c) Gardening magazine photos.


I do something like this for cover inserts for 3 ring binders. I use photos from gardening catalogues, focusing on a general color scheme with variations. Every time I pick up a binder, I'm treated to a wide range of beautiful flowers or foliage. It's an instantaneously relaxing moment. That's why I use the inserts for all my tax binders.


What were her favorite pastimes earlier in her life?
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I've seen bird feeders around the grounds of NHs and hospitals, but usually the staff is too busy to take the time to fill them. I bet if you offered to put up a feeder and fill it with seed, that would be gratefully accepted. My husband worked in an industrial park out in the suburbs and filled up a bird feeder at the entrance on his own dime every week. A big bag of seed doesn't cost that much.
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I spoke to administration and i can put a birdfeeder or other decor outside her room. If i knew she'd be there long enough, I'd put fencing up.
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Good for you, Rosy! I'm guessing a lot of other residents are going to enjoy watching the birds once the feeder is put up. Maybe you can set some container plants around the base to help provide a pleasant instead of an industrial type view.
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What is the nature of the equipment? Is it something a junior high class could paint a mural on? That might be a long-term improvement.

We put up a double hanging crook outside of Mom's NH window, with both a bird feeder and a flowering plant. When keep an eye on it and tend it when we visit. We started with a basket of live plants but it was too hard to keep them water, repaired from wind, etc. so we switched to a silk version. Mom comments sometimes about how well they are doing! We switch to a basket of evergreens for the winter.

I think you are right to let the pros get your mother out of her room. No point in making it an issue of conflict between the two of you! When we found out that our mom was going to bingo and crafts and baking and sing-alongs and live entertainment, we were totally amazed! We were sure she would resist all this socializing. She is also now socializing with individuals. She has friends! That took more than a year, but it is so nice seeing her carry on a conversation with another old lady!

Rosy, you activate your stubborn genes. You are doing everything you can to make your mother's environment pleasant. It is up to her to adjust to it.
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if youd put a " free " sign on the big piece of equiptment , crackhead metal scavengers would have it hauled off by morning . theres crazy people everywhere . use them against your adversaries .
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The equipment is huge. Some kind of utility for the facility.
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Oh, my goodness Rosyday! Are your mother and my mother sisters? Because my mother is a carbon copy of yours, complete with the bad hearing and overall resistant stubbornness. No matter what is suggested, she always and I mean always has a reason why she can't do something. I've actually just come to the point that if she wants to hunker down in her small studio and watch t.v. all day, so be it. It's surely not how I would like to be spending my time but we're very different people and also 29 years apart. All of the suggestions that have been given to make the view a bit more pleasant are excellent. And, not sure if you'll ever get her to move from the room she's now in anyway....I know my mother wouldn't do it for the world if she didn't have to. Good luck and hugs to you for being such a loving and compassionate daughter - your mother is definitely lucky to have you!
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Imb1234 Sounds like they could be twins for sure. Im even 29 years younger. I love my mother, but truthfully, i dont like her much. Its hard to like someone who is so unwilling to do anything to accommodate and demands so much from others. If this was simply the result of old age... But shes always been thus. Its just that it has more constant consequences for me now.
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I totally hear you, Rosyday! My mother has also basically always been this way and it's just been exacerbated by old age. My feelings are the same as yours....I love her because she is my mother but she is not a likable person in many ways. Unfortunately, her personality traits keep most of the grandkids at bay as well, although I try to mitigate some of their irritation at her lack of interest in them by blaming it on the dementia, which is very pronounced at this point. Not sure where you reside but you and I could write one book about them both if we ever put our heads together to do it. ;) Hang in there, soul sister!
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What about LATTICE WORK that can be:
1/ Made by someone as a favor
2/ Bought used somewhere on craigslist, for example
3/ Bought at Home Depot or Lowes...
Ask the facility what would be the proper distance from the air conditioning unit?.......I cannot imagine what else it could be, but yes, it has to be vented.
So, how far away from the THING can the lattice be placed?
Then put down seed (like green peas) or whatever will survive on your side of the planet, and put down a different seed that will bloom at different times of the year. So, once established, those plants will take care of themselves.
Intertwine FAKE plants you can get at the second hand store, fake flowers, fake greenery, so it will look decent most of the time.
Ask if there would be rules about watering
I would imagine it does not need to be encased, but just one side WALL UP.
A lot of climbing plants out there. Someone crafty could paint something on it...
Someone could hang a birdfeeder from it, with some ingenuity and the right tools.

M88
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Good ideas mulatta88.
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