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Did you know that some areas of Denmark experience only seven hours of daylight and a long 17 hours of darkness each night at this time of year? I think that sounds awful! And yet, studies show that Danes are some of the happiest people on earth.
What’s their secret? One of them might be their concept of hygge (pronounced “hue-gah”). Loosely translated, hygge means coziness and well-being. It’s a lifestyle adopted by many Danish people that helps them find enjoyment during those long, cold winters.
As I’ve learned more about hygge, I wondered if we can use this concept to create a better sense of well-being for our nursing home residents. This might be especially useful as we deal with the many challenges brought on by the COVID pandemic.
I don’t mean to imply that dealing with a cold, dark winter is in any way equivalent to living through the pandemic. Yet, there are some similarities.
First, no matter how hard we try, we can’t make winter go away. We can’t make the dark nights shorter or the cold days warmer. Rather, we need to change our lifestyles and adapt to the season. We also can’t snap our fingers and make the coronavirus disappear. Instead, we must make changes to protect ourselves.
Second, we know winter won’t last forever. The warmth and light of spring will come again, just as it has every year in the past. Along the same lines, the pandemic won’t last forever either. Every pandemic in the history of humankind eventually ended; this one will, too.
The Danish people don’t just endure their long winters. They discover how to find moments of joy amid it. Do you suppose we can also provide moments of joy for our residents while keeping them safe from the coronavirus? Here’s how:
Food
Danes find hygge in their enjoyment of comfort foods. In nursing homes, this might mean hearty stews or soups, pasta, ethnic dishes, or decadent desserts.
We’ve all heard the stereotype that nursing home food tastes bad. But it doesn’t need to be that way. For example, check out these innovative dining programs from nursing homes in Australia.
So often, we eat our meals without giving them much thought. Finding hygge in food means really paying attention to what we’re eating. It means inviting residents to savor the colors, aroma, textures, and flavors of our meals.
Food also makes an excellent topic for reminiscing. For example, when I think of comfort food, I remember the hot Malt-O-Meal cereal my mom made for my sister and me before we headed out to catch the school bus on chilly winter mornings.
Visit with your residents and encourage them to share memories of comfort foods from their childhoods. If possible, you might also serve menu items made using their old family recipes.
I hope you’ll also allow the aroma of comfort foods to waft through your nursing home. This could mean using bread makers, slow cookers, or pizza ovens to prepare food in living areas.
Hygge often involves sharing conversation while enjoying a meal with friends and family. The pandemic makes this difficult, but not impossible. For example, you could encourage residents and their families to share a meal during virtual visits.
Books
Is there anything cozier than curling up with a good book? Books offer residents the opportunity to visit all sorts of fascinating places and take part in an array of adventures, all while social distancing.
While some libraries had to close during the pandemic, many still provide services using safe COVID practices. Contact your local library and brainstorm ways they can support your residents. They’ll probably offer curbside book pickup, books on tape, or virtual book discussions.
Sounds
We’ve heard a lot about the benefits of using music in nursing homes. But what about finding hygge in the beauty of silence?
I encourage each of you to take a few minutes to sit in various locations in the nursing home and listen to the sounds surrounding your residents. You’ll probably hear carts, medical equipment, loud voices, televisions, alarms, and much more.
Yes, residents enjoy listening to the pleasant sounds of everyday life. But consider what you can do to reduce unnecessary noise in the nursing home.
Plants
During the cold winter months, Danish people bring the outdoors indoors by surrounding themselves with plants. Besides adding beauty to the environment, plants give residents something to care for. This article from Midwest Living highlights 20 attractive, easy-to-grow varieties.
Many nursing homes welcome new residents with the gift of a little plant for their room. Better yet, provide supplies so your residents can do their own indoor gardening. They might choose to grow flowers, succulents, herbs, bulbs, or starter plants for an outdoor garden in the spring.
Clothing
Hygge means dressing in clothes that are simple, soft, and comfortable. If you’re shopping for a gift for a loved one in a nursing home, I hope you’ll look for something cozy. This could be a sweater, shawl, socks or slippers, or a fluffy blanket.
Beverages
Danish people savor a good hot cup of strong coffee accompanied by a sweet treat. You can provide your residents with the same experience by offering plain or flavored coffees, hot cocoa, herbal teas, and hot apple cider.
Nature
In Denmark, people look for ways to enjoy spending time outdoors, even when temperatures are chilly. If you live in a place where it’s not safe to bring residents outdoors during the winter, I hope you’ll bring nature indoors to them. While the weather is nice, collect items from nature for crafts or decor. This could include colored leaves, pine cones, seashells, or pretty rocks.
You can also offer outdoor activities for residents to watch from indoors. Consider providing bird feeders outside of resident windows. Or how about inviting families to come to the nursing home to make snowmen?
Light
When you hear about hygge, one of the most common components is candles. Obviously, it’s not safe to use real candles in a nursing home. But you can find an array of battery-powered candles that give the same effect. Twinkling lights strung indoors or outdoors also offer beauty and a sense of calm.
You’ll find the soothing flicker of a fireplace in many Danish homes. If you’re not able to install a fireplace in your nursing home, you can also find TV stations that feature fireplaces. I’ll often relax at home by curling up with a blanket and a book in front of my TV fireplace.
Scents
Subtle scents can also promote a sense of coziness and well-being. Many nursing homes use aromatherapy to stimulate residents’ appetites, promote sleep, or evoke memories during reminiscing activities.
Before using aromatherapy, please check with a trained aromatherapy consultant. They can help you identify the best essential oils for your residents’ needs and assure you avoid any medical contraindications.
Bathing
Many people find hygge by retreating to a relaxing bath. Yet, how often do we see stark, chilly bathing rooms in nursing homes that appear anything but welcoming?
A few special touches like pleasant colors, towel warmers, LED candles, soothing scents, and pretty wall hangings can make a tremendous difference. This article from McKnight’s offers other excellent tips to help change the culture of resident bathing.
Have you introduced hygge into your nursing home? I know you have lots of other creative suggestions. Please share them in the comment section!
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