Life-transition providers offer help to seniors still at home or ready to relocate
The goal for many retirees is to simplify their lives. For some, this can mean downsizing to cut back on maintenance. For others, it may be arranging for extra help or simply decluttering and renovating various spaces.
“Everyone is different and every situation is different because no two people are the same,” says Inez Quinn of Awesome Aging.
In her experience, adds Quinn, a certified professional consultant on aging, many seniors prefer not to leave the home they have lived in for many years.
“I will do anything that needs to be done to help them make that possible,” she says. “Many seniors have the ability to stay in their own homes with support. That can be in the form of doing a bit of cooking, cleaning and outside work, so that they don’t have to worry about all those things. It can also be simply offering socialization and taking them out so that they feel the warmth of sunlight on their faces.”
Sometimes, says Robert Lobban of Only Seniors, moving to a seniors’ residence is a better solution. This was the case for his mother after his father had to be hospitalized for the rest of his life and she found it burdensome to care for a large bungalow alone. In addition, she was using only a small portion of the dwelling, he adds.
“It’s important to identify all the positives and negatives, before making the decision to move,” he emphasizes. So, after creating a stay/go balance sheet, he checked various retirement homes to find a good match for his mother. Then, he set about getting “all the ducks in order” to ensure a smooth transition. This involved preparing her home for sale, finalizing the transaction and making sure that her future was financially secure, as well as organizing the move itself.
“It worked out very well for her,” says Lobban, a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers. “From there, I started investigating how I could help others in similar situations and, in the seven years I have been doing this work, helping people has been my biggest joy.”
While the focus of Only Seniors is on moving or decluttering, Lobban says he prefers not to be classed as a mover. “I see myself as an adviser and exercise whatever options I have available to help clients get to where they need to be. Every opportunity is different, usually depending on the amount of family involvement. The end result is almost always the move because, when someone comes to me, they have either made the decision or need to make the decision (to move).”
“Most seniors don’t want to move,” says Judy Robinson of Senior Moves. “But suddenly, they’re in hospital after a fall or a stroke or some other health issue, and the doctor says they can’t go home. Usually, it’s the families who need us and we’re there to look after the physical and emotional side when seniors have to move.”
Robinson adds that many seniors find sorting through their belongings particularly difficult. “Some of them have pieces that belonged to their parents or grandparents,” she says. “Their kids, who often live out of town, don’t want the stuff and even a lot of charities won’t take anything that’s stuffed — like a sofa or a bed.
“All of this stirs up all kinds of emotions,” says Robinson, who with her husband and business partner, Doug, has written a number of books on aspects of moving and downsizing for boomers and seniors. “The big shift comes when they find that someone can use the things they are giving up and that they are helping other people.”
Meanwhile, Triggerr Penney of Systems N’ Spaces handles re-organizing and renovating spaces to fit changing circumstances, as well as dealing with all aspects of moving for boomers and seniors.
“A lot of people are going through some kind of life transition and need to get to a new spot or change the space they are in,” she says. “We help people age in place with in-law suites or renovate space for boomerang kids returning to the family home. We think of ourselves as life-transition providers.”
Quinn points out that even if construction or renovation is required, aging in place while importing services is often more economical and less disruptive than moving. Either way, she emphasizes, the goal is to improve seniors’ quality of life.
Acknowledging that any kind of upheaval or life transition can be painful is a good starting point for family members advising seniors to downsize or move to a retirement residence, says Robinson.
“Tell the children to listen to their parents and see how they can help, not try to take over,” says Robinson. “People don’t want to lose control.”