For kidney patients, home dialysis offers numerous advantages over having to go to a clinic for treatment. However, after getting a room set up for home dialysis, it can often still have that Intensive Care Unit and hospital clinic vibe to it. As a result, the patient can often become overwhelmed, discouraged, and depressed. To help the patient become more comfortable and at ease in the environment, here are a few things that you can do.

Bring in a Comfortable Chair

Dialysis is not a quick treatment. It can take hours, and it is done several times a week (depending on the patient's particular schedule), so it is important that the dialysis patient have somewhere very comfortable to sit. Make sure that the chair has easy access to the home kidney dialysis machine to avoid any issues with the patient's treatment.

Don't Forget a Warm Blanket and Pillow

Some patients will fall asleep when they receive their dialysis treatment, while others are unable to do so. In either case, a soft, warm blanket and fluffy pillow would be nice for the patient as they are sitting there waiting for their treatment to finish.

Install An Essential Oil Diffuser

Fragrances have the power to lift a person's mood—even when they are at their worst or weakest. When a person is receiving dialysis treatment, even though it is done on a regular basis, they are most certainly not at their best. So, install an essential oil diffuser in the room. A scent to consider using is lavender since it is known to promote relaxation. Another scent is vanilla, which can promote feelings of peace. Alternatively, you can simply use the patient's favorite scent as that will surely do the trick to boost their mood.

Offer a Source of Calming Sounds

You already have relaxing scents in the space, so why not add calming sounds as well? Add a stereo in the space so that you can purchase a CD that has nature sounds on it as these are always relaxing to hear, or the patient may prefer to listen to his or her favorite music CD. Alternatively, some people enjoy hearing the sound of wind chimes or moving water (like a small water fountain).

With the aforementioned tips, you will help create a much more relaxing, peaceful, and comfortable space for a home dialysis patient. However, before you do anything, make sure to speak to the patient's physician to ensure that nothing will interfere with the dialysis treatment.