You have finally had the discussion with your older loved one about the move to affordable senior housing; they will save money, have more opportunities for social engagement, and ultimately, lead a healthier and safer life. They will also be surrounded by like-minded individuals, have access to assistance when needed, and enjoy a more nutritious diet daily. Everything is falling into place for the move, except the actual moving process…
Brickmont Assisted Living knows that the transition into senior living can be an overwhelming and emotional process. Below we have listed the helpful tools for downsizing to help with what could otherwise be a stressful time.The following are the 6 downsizing tips for the senior in your life:
1.Create A Plan
It can be intimidating preparing for a big move, such as helping a family member move into a senior living community. It is important to create a plan on how you are going to help sort through your older loved one’s household items. If there is going to be heavy lifting involved that you aren’t able to fully-assist with, think about which friends, relatives, or services might be helpful and on what days they may be needed. Plan ahead for how many days it will take to accomplish clearing each room in your loved one’s home, then set a goal for each day. Once you and the senior in your life have an outline of a plan, it is time to discuss specifics.
2.Create A List
After you have a plan for each day to have a set amount of rooms to sort, a goal for the day, and perhaps various sources of outside help per day. Now, you need to help your family member understand how to downsize. This may be challenging for the party that is downsizing, so it is important to be considerate and patient. The best way to create this list is to include four sections:
- Items to be kept for the apartment/senior housing
- Items to be passed down to a family member/loved one
- Items to sell in a garage sale or thrift store
- Items to donate or throw away
Before you physically attempt to sort through your loved one’s items, start by asking them, room by room, which items fit into each of these categories. Chances are if they cannot think of it beforehand, they will not miss it too much if it is gone!
3.Begin Downsizing with Unsentimental Items
No one wants to throw away prized possessions and, a lot of people don’t like throwing any items away in general. When you do start downsizing, it is usually best for the senior in your life to begin in the kitchen or bathroom. These areas are generally just utensils and toiletries with little sentimental value.
4.Visit the Senior Living Community Frequently
When deciding what to do with items, your loved one may be tempted to just “keep” everything for their new home. As nice as an idea as that is, most housing communities for seniors provide limited space much smaller than a full-sized home. By taking regular trips with your loved one to their new home, they can be more realistic in what will actually fit into their future living space.
5.Ask the Senior to Verbalize Purpose
Oftentimes, people can create a connection with objects that have no real meaning or significant purpose. The best way to downsize when these items come up is to ask your older loved one, “How does this make you feel?”, “What purpose does it have in your life now?” or “If it is that sentimental, can a family member have it?” In most cases, if it is truly unsentimental, it can be tossed or donated.
6.Hold on A Moment
After you have sorted everything into the four lists, there is no need to rush to the dump or set up a garage sale right away. If storage is not an issue, it may be best to wait until your loved one is situated in their new home to see if they truly miss an item or even lost something. When prepping for a garage sale or a donation run, you may also find items that have value or are broken. The same goes for trash items - as the saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
Downsizing is a chance for the senior in your life to celebrate their past chapters and lighten their load for the new chapters to come. It does not have to be an anxiety-riddled, depressing experience. Try to stay calm and happy; play music and have a good time with your older loved one through the process. When the time comes to move into affordable senior housing, your loved one will be prepared and hopefully, excited!
Brickmont Assisted Living has created these downsizing tips for those moving into affordable senior housing. We want to ensure that the transition into senior living is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. If you are interested in visiting our community for you or a loved one, we would love to show you around!
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