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We have thought about TV, clothing, bedding, diapers, underpads, etc., but are there other things we should be purchasing as well as we prepare to move him in?

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Bring anything that will bring him comfort and familiarity...including yourself for visits.
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Reply to Hrmgrandcna
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Rosered6 Jan 22, 2026
And things that will make the room more comfortable for visitors.
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Buy a laundry marker for all the clothes and labels for other items. My mom is a hoarder, so we had to keep it as simple as possible. She loved to paint, so she has a couple of her own paintings on the wall which helped as well as photos of family, a few books and a bookbag to "hide things in" that she thinks other people might steal. They are not valuable, but to her they are. She also has a couple plants.
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Reply to JustAnon
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bethany1101, welcome to the forum. See if it is possible to arrange your father's bedroom the same as it was in his prior home. I know that helped my Dad in case he woke up in the middle of the night. We also brought along Dad's night-lights.

Also, if possible, use the same bedspread that he had used previously. That gave my Dad more of a feeling of comfort of "home". And hang pictures the same location as in his previous bedroom.
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Reply to freqflyer
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Depending on what's already in the room: TV stand, a place to put photos, a table or stand for next to the bed or chair, a recliner if he uses one at home, extra pillows, blankets and clothing for different temperatures (not just for different seasons but because of the possibility that the room will be overly chilly or overly warm).
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Reply to Rosered6
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Have a few (only a few!) photos of family on the wall.
I made a list of family contacts (name, relationship, and phone number) with a sharpie on a sheet of paper in a plastic sheet protector that was pinned to the bulletin board.
I bought a wipe warmer for my husband because he was very sensitive and didn't like being cleaned during diaper changes. The cold wipes were uncomfortable.

Make sure the TV you bring in is easy for him to use. Also consider a simple remote made especially for seniors, which only has On/Off button, a Volume Up/Down button, and Channel Up/Down button.

If you're allowed to leave snacks in his room, bring some snacks and refill regularly! Some pudding cups, applesauce or fruit cups, and some plastic spoons. Maybe some snack bars/energy bars.

LABEL all of his belongings - clothes, shoes, wheelchair, glasses, TV, TV remote, etc. And be prepared to lose some things.
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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When my MIL was transitioned into the LTC wing of her facility, it became apparent that the staff wasn't going to put a lot of effort into dressing her -- or, she maybe had enough joint pain or resistance to putting on certain garments -- so make sure your Dad has clothes that are easy on/easy off (eg: button-down shirts if he has trouble lifting his arms due to shoulder pain).

Ditto to Slartibartfast's suggestion that you need to clearly mark his garments with his last name (don't put rm # since your Dad may be moved around). Keeping my MIL's own clothing was an exercise in futility since we didn't do her laundry. Every time we went there she had someone else's things in her drawers -- and I assume they were from residents who had passed away.

If you live somewhere there are seasons you will need to "rotate" his seasonally appropriate clothes for easy access. Otherwise the staff may be making fashion decisions for him.
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Reply to Geaton777
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CaringWifeAZ Jan 21, 2026
I want to second Geaton's suggestion of easy on/off clothing!
My husband is mostly bed-bound, with partial paralysis, and I found it's easiest to dress him with elastic waistband lounge pants or sweat pants, a little oversize is better than snug fit. And I buy XL oversize cotton T-shirts. Everything is loose-fitting and easy to pull on and off.
And, yes, you will lose clothes and find new clothes just appear. Don't worry too much about it.
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Invest in a good chargeable shaver that’s easy to charge.
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Reply to Hothouseflower
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Ask the facility for a move-in checklist. My mom’s facility gave me a helpful one. It reminded me of the packing list we got when we moved our oldest into his dorm. The one thing I should have brought was a pack of Sharpies to label all her laundry. I found one and then lost it half way through the day.
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Reply to Slartibartfast
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