How to seamlessly transition from your house to senior living

Finding the Right Community

An important step in transitioning to senior living is finding the right assisted living home for you or your loved one. It is important to make sure it’s a place that meets all you or your loved one’s needs. There are many factors to take into account, but it’s worth taking the time to consider them all before making a decision.

Think about what you or your loved one will need help with now, and in the future. Before you begin looking, it is worthwhile to identify what you are even looking for. Will you need to have assistance with bathing, taking medication, eating, cooking etc.? Looking ahead, are there any potential changes to those needs that could be foreseen, possibly due to a progressive illness? Answering these questions will give you a great foundation.

Think about location. What do you want the facility to be near? Considering proximity to things like grocery stores, family members, doctors, and churches can be very important and impact the final decision.

Visit multiple times at different hours. This will be you or your loved one’s home, so getting a true feel for the facility is necessary. After a standard tour, explore the place on your own. And come back at a later date at a different time to walk around on your own as well. Talk to residents and see how they like the home. 

Packing and Moving

After you have decided on the right facility, it is now time to think about what you are going to do with the current house you or your loved one is living in and all of their belongings. Trying to sell a house can be very stressful. However, if you sell the house to a professional home buyer, there are many time and hassle saving benefits. When selling to a home buyer you don’t have to worry about making updates, county code compliance issues or making sure the house is spotless.  

Packing up all current belongings and making decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of can be a major task.  One way to make this process easier is to get help. Family members and friends are a great resource to help with this daunting process. Many older adults have not moved in 20 years or even longer and moving can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Many home buyers will purchase the property as-is and some will also give you the option to take personal items you want and leave behind the belongs you would otherwise have to haul off. This eliminates a stressful step.

Since you or your loved one will be downsizing, there will not be room for all current belongings. Begin with things that cannot be replaced and items that you must have. Make sure to envision how everything will fit in your new space and if it doesn’t fit or isn’t important, get rid of it. Objects that you don’t want that are too valuable just to throw away can be sold or given to charity for a tax write-off. If you are having trouble determining the value of any items, you have the option to have an antique dealer appraise them. Best of luck with the transition.