With summer almost here, caregivers should take the time to do something they enjoy for stress relief. While outdoor activities are fun, it may be difficult for senior clients to spend long periods of time in the sun. But caregivers and their clients may tire of their usual indoor activities. Interior design can be a fun but expensive hobby. Luckily for senior caregivers, the Design Home app offers users the ability to virtually design several rooms without spending a dime.
When caregivers first download the app, they need to create an account to play the different design games. This includes creating a public username. Once your account has been set up, it’s time to start designing a room!
The app gives each user a set amount of “money” that they can spend on virtual furniture and accessories for the spaces. In each room, caregivers will see blue circles and purple circles with an icon of the furniture type. For example, in the living room there may be an icon of a couch, another of a coffee table, and one for a floor lamp. Selecting an item for every blue circle is mandatory, while the purple circles are optional items.
When caregivers click on an icon, the bottom half of the screen will pull up the different options in that category. Users can browse the options and see their prices. Most categories have 6-8 items to pick between if that piece of furniture is required. For optional categories, there may only be one item, such as a set of magazines to place on top of the coffee table.
When caregivers tap on an item, it shows a preview of what it will look like in the room. Caregivers can tap through all of the different options, and then when they find an item they like, they can click “buy.” This will place the item in the room and also add it to your collection of furniture to add to other rooms. Users can also borrow items from friends who use the app.
Once caregivers are satisfied with the design of their room, they can click finish. This will enter them into the app-wide competition for the best room design. Caregivers may also be shown other users’ designs and be asked to vote on which design they prefer.
The Home Design app is available for Apple and Android platforms.
Senior caregivers, let us know your feedback on this app and keep us posted if you discover additional apps that assist with caregiving duties and help relieve caregiver stress. You may also refer-a-friend to a senior caregiving job and win prizes weekly and monthly on Caregiverlist.
