DOWNSIZE & declutter

MOVING INTO A RETIREMENT VILLAGE IS A LOT EASIER WITH RYMAN’S DOWNSIZING EXPERTISE

When making the move into a retirement village, one of the most common questions asked is, how do I downsize and declutter from the family home? At Ryman Healthcare, we pride ourselves on providing support every step of the way. “We oer step-by-step help with the process, gently talking through concerns and answering questions,” says Ryman Healthcare’s NZ sales and community relations manager Bernadette Forsdyke. In most cases, retirees will be leaving what was their family home for a smaller townhouse or apartment. They face sorting through a lifetime of memories and belongings. “Often, friends or family may not live locally, making it di†cult to lend a helping hand,” says Bernadette. Ryman facilitates this by hosting regular seminars run by moving specialists. They have built relationships with companies that oer decluttering services and enlist their expertise regularly, so they can share ideas with residents. Moving house can be stressful, so Ryman works to minimise that stress wherever possible. A good way to look at it is to think of it as rightsizing, rather than downsizing. You are making a move that better suits your current needs and are adjusting the number of possessions accordingly. “As it gets closer to moving day, we will provide a handy checklist, so you can tick o all those important tasks such as notifying power and phone providers,” explains Bernadette. On top of that, Ryman provides new residents with four hours of complimentary help, which can be used either before or after the move. It could be to help with anything from putting up pictures to taking away the extra rubbish and boxes at your new home. With the move being one of the biggest financial decisions you will make in your lifetime, the nine Ryman Peace of Mind Guarantees provide an added bonus and are considered some of the most resident-friendly terms in New Zealand. One example of this peace of mind is the security of knowing there is full continuum of care at the village – from independent living and assisted living in a serviced apartment, to resthome care, and in the majority of villages hospital and specialist dementia care. Feedback from Ryman residents is that they feel great relief in knowing that if their needs change, Ryman will continue to look after them. Assisting residents to make the move into a retirement village as smooth as possible is one of the many ways that Ryman demonstrates how care really is at the heart of everything they do. So when Ryman says it has to be “good enough for Mum”, they mean it.

Thinking of it as rightsizing, rather than downsizing, can help. Rather than focusing on ‘moving out’, the focus is on all the positives of moving in.