Leaving a lifetime worth of possessions to go live in a smaller home, particularly an assisted living facility, is not easy. The fact is, though, that life may reach a point where one should transition into a professional care environment. These spaces have dedicated individuals who can care for them besides their family members. These communities are also designed to facilitate an environment that encourages freedom and fuller enjoyment of life, even with the limitations they may encounter as they age. Often, this is done through downsizing.
Tips for downsizing seniors will become instrumental before moving into an assisted living facility because they focus on making the process as seamless and painless as possible. Preparing for the move to a senior living facility implies that emotions may run high, and patience will wear thin due to the sacrifices an individual often makes at that point.
Most seniors have an emotional attachment to their property and possessions, just like everyone else. Leaving those things behind is a large part of what can make the process of moving a loved one out of their home and into a new home so strenuous. Here are some of the downsizing tips that can make the transition to an assisted living facility for seniors a successful procedure.
Focus on Future Positive Changes
Moving to a small assisted living facility will redefine various aspects of an older person's life. For that reason, focusing their attention on the positive impact of this transition to a new living space is a wise idea. One example is reminding them that facilities that accommodate seniors will frequently present opportunities for such individuals, which they may never find elsewhere.
Some things that an older adult can expect when moving into senior living includes opportunities to enjoy group ventures, new hobbies, an environment with less housework and home upkeep, and the chance to make new friends. When you draw the attention of seniors to the advantages of elderly living facilities, it will ease the moving and downsizing process.
Avoid Disposing of Everything Immediately
There is no need to get rid of everything in your loved one's current home in preparation for the move to an assisted living facility. As much as downsizing is part of the requirement before shifting to a living establishment for seniors, you can set aside some of those precious possessions and simply keep them out of sight.
Part of the idea behind facilities for seniors is to help them get over their past and embrace their new life, and that past includes what they own. Over time, seniors discover that they begin to let go of their things, stop noticing their belongings, and start enjoying life in a new environment with less stuff.
Consider having a garage sale rather than tossing meaningful memorabilia, or a donation to goodwill or local charities. Knowing that others will use your memorabilia can elicit a sense of comfort.
Don't feel bad if you need to resort to placing some extra items in storage. Sometimes with a smaller space, a small storage unit is necessary. If moving into assisted living is pushed back due to the downsizing process, temporarily using a storage unit might be a good option.
Have A Plan
Downsizing to move into a senior living facility is a rigorous exercise that will take several days, depending on the stuff one needs to sort out. It's impossible to experience a seamless transition when one starts packing only days before moving into an assisted living facility. That's why adopting a plan that will guide you accordingly is advisable.
Some things to consider when developing a downsizing plan are including the family members that will help with the work, goals for each day, the people who will facilitate the achievement of specific objectives, and dates for handling particular tasks.
Also, knowing your new floor plan allows for a better downsizing process. Calculating how much you can bring to the smaller space is necessary so that you and your loved one don't set unmet expectations.
Know Where to Start
When downsizing for a move to a senior living facility, tackling one section or room at a time, and on different days, will make your work easier. Consider starting with trivial things. Most likely, such possessions will be in the garage and kitchen.
Decluttering and getting rid of unnecessary stuff should take a shorter duration when downsizing, which is why an understanding of where you should start is critical. When it is time to downsize the bedroom and living room, it may take a while because of how demanding it is to decide what are keepsakes and what one should trash.
Hire Senior Downsizing Experts
Persons above 55 years may experience various difficulties if they must downsize for the move to a smaller space. Handle everything that comes with such an obligation all by themselves can be stressful. The good thing is that one can delegate the responsibility of downsizing for assisted living to experts who will relieve them of this daunting task.
Anyone moving to a living facility for seniors is approaching the sunset years, which implies that they need help in one way or another. Downsizing experts come in handy at such a time. Opting to hire the services of experts who specialize in senior downsizing for those moving to an assisted living establishment withdraws the hassle of this time-consuming task from and provides peace of mind as well.
Reinvent the New Space
Preparing to live in a facility for seniors after retirement is an opportunity to reimagine one's personal space when they settle in. The environment one expects to call home throughout their later years should not become a museum of their past, but rather a place that depicts their personality and current interests and hobbies.
Reinventing a new space at a facility for seniors should start in the mind at least a few days or months before settling in. Planning for new surroundings prepares them accordingly for the transition and gives them something to look forward to as well.
Preparing for this transition to senior living involves a lot of physical and emotional effort. These downsizing tips play a vital role in ensuring that this process does not become more stressful than it needs to be. Without the necessary insight, downsizing as a senior before moving into an assisted living facility becomes a nightmare and a moment with no fond memories because of the exhaustion that the elderly may suffer at such times.
Whether you are moving elderly parents out of their home to a senior care facility or you are doing it by yourself as a retiree, Weatherly Inn will come alongside anyone adjusting to a new lifestyle when they join any of our senior living communities.
