While it might seem like simply making the decision to move into an assisted living community was the toughest choice you have to make, for many people downsizing, packing and moving ends up being the most stressful part of the journey.
Over the years we collect a lot of stuff, and many items have sentimental value so it can be tough to part with our personal possessions. On the other hand, all of these items must be cared for so when you downsize to assisted living, one of the biggest perks is simply having fewer possessions in general.
The first step is to get an idea of the size and dimensions of your new apartment. Often this is available on the website of the assisted living community, but the staff also will be able to provide this information for you. Once you know the size and arrangement of the rooms, you can decide which furnishings and possessions will fit in the new apartment.
Keep in mind that many decorative items, such as family photographs and favorite paintings can be used to personalize your new assisted living apartment. It also can be nice to decorate your new bedroom exactly like your old bedroom as much as possible. This can make the transition easier, particularly for a person who is hesitant to make this move or someone who is in a memory care facility. Keeping things familiar can make the move much less stressful.
At this point, you probably have quite a few possessions and furnishings that you cannot fit into the new assisted living apartment and you will need to figure out what to do with the remainder. This certainly can be upsetting, but you don’t have to handle this process alone. There are companies that specialize in helping seniors manage a move into an eldercare facility or you can have friends and family help you with the process.
Sometimes, at first, it’s easier to part with items you don’t care much about. For instance, there are probably items tucked away in closets or attics that you haven’t seen or used in years. These are easier to part with than a favorite couch or your book collection. One easy place to start is by eliminating the excess paper we have in our lives. We often keep many years of financial records, as well as magazines and even junk mail ends up in boxes sometimes.
Many furnishings can be sold either at a garage sale or through avenues such as Craigslist. Some special items can be given to children, grandchildren or others who might appreciate the items. Some items can be donated which will be a big benefit to those in need.
If there are special items that cannot be taken to the new place but have a special significance to your loved one, take a picture of the item and have them tell you the story behind its significance. Write or type up the story and create a scrapbook with these pictures for your parent. This will be a lovely keepsake for children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to look at, as well. Many photographs also can be scanned and stored on computer or on digital picture frames that showcase a new picture every few seconds. This can reduce the amount of photograph bulk you take to the new place without actually sacrificing these precious keepsakes.
Also, keep in mind that this doesn’t have all have to be completed in a matter of days. You can complete this process gradually and even rent storage space to hold some items until you are ready to sell or donate these possessions. In the end, you probably will find that you enjoy the ease of having less, as well as the convenience of having housekeeping, laundry and meal preparation and clean-up handled by someone else leaving you free for other pursuits.
If you have not yet found an assisted living community or board and care facility, give the staff at Care Placement a call or begin by filling out our questionnaire which is located under the “Assess Your Needs” tab at the top of our website. At Care Placement, we specialize in helping families find eldercare solutions.
We provide carefully screened lists of San Diego assisted living facilities, Escondido assisted living communities, Carlsbad assisted living facilities and assisted living and board and care options throughout San Diego County and Orange County. Our services are free, and our goal is to help you find a residence where you will be happy, healthy and safe.