When you’re looking at the next stage in your life, it’s scary…and exciting, but it’s also unknown. Are you preparing for an exciting move to a senior living community? Here’s what you’ll need to do to prepare for this new chapter!
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Moving on Up: Tips for Preparing to Move to a Senior Living Community
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Moving into a senior living community is a major life event that can be full of stress, poignancy, and high emotion. Yet, the advantages of a 55 and over community often outweigh the stress.
With so much money and change on the line, it’s no wonder the decision to move to a retirement community can be tough.
And it isn’t cheap, either! People spend between $1,500 and $6,000 per month to stay in these communities.
However, the process of moving can be just as challenging. You might have a home to sell, a life’s worth of possessions to sort through, and the general hassle of upping sticks to a new place. Throw physical impairments and emotional baggage into the mix, and the entire move can become a struggle.
In addition to the process, leaving the familiarity of your home and neighborhood to join a new community adds another level of stress. That’s why choosing the right senior living community, such as one of those owned by Clover Group Inc., is so important.
Are you looking for advice on preparing to move to a senior living community as hassle-free as possible?
Let us help! Keep reading for our top tips on getting ready to move into senior living.
Book an Initial Trial Stay
Moving to a senior living community can be a daunting prospect.
Most people are filled with anxiety, doubt, and uncertainty. They wonder what the residence itself is going to be like, how they’ll feel there, and whether they’ll get on well with fellow residents and staff. That’s why booking a trial stay in advance of any final decision can prove so helpful.
Spend a few days or weeks in the community to “dip your feet” into how the experience might feel. Like test driving a car, you’ll get a sense of whether it’s the right one for you. If not, then you can look elsewhere instead, no harm, no foul.
Enquire with the staff of your prospective retirement community about the prospect of such a stay. It should help alleviate any concerns and set your expectations ahead of time.
For example, you might consider a 55+ community in Utah which offers a neighborhood with a more active and outdoor lifestyle.
Pay The Senior Living Community One Last Visit
Imagine that you’ve done a trial stay at the senior living community, enjoyed the experience, and are now getting ready to move in.
We suggest taking the opportunity to visit the community one final time before the big day. Even better, you could go with a close loved one for extra support, a novel perspective, and encouragement.
This visit should be useful at both a practical and emotional level. For one thing, it’s another opportunity to get a sense of the residence. You can meet the people there (residents and staff alike), introduce yourself again, and inquire about the move-in process itself. The result? You remove any uncertainty about the move, find out about what support is available, and feel more confident.
Get Familiar With Your New Room at the Senior Living Community
Try to ensure you’re familiar with the room into which you’ll be moving. That’s important for several reasons, but primarily so you can plan what you need to take!
Measure the floor space and decide where to put your furniture. You’ll see what appliances are provided and what you’ll need (that’s especially important for the kitchen). And you’ll discover what decorations are in place, helping you style the room as you see fit.
Want our advice? Aim to organize and decorate your new living space in a way that echoes your current home. That should ease the transition, help you feel more “at home” after the move, and reduce any confusion at the same time.
Give Yourself Time
It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from. Moving house is always a big job!
However, it’s even more difficult when you’ve got a lifetime’s worth of items that you have to sort through and downsize before packing into boxes. Likewise, many older people haven’t moved house in decades, making it feel daunting from the outset. Furthermore, physical limitations and low energy levels collide to create tangible challenges. Our top tip?
Take it slow. The worst thing you could do is rush!
It’s a one-way ticket to feeling overwhelmed and burning out. Give yourself enough time for the task and get help from as many people as possible. Many hands make light work; you’ll be packed up and ready to go in no time.
Don’t Forget the Mailing Address
Your worldly possessions aren’t the only thing that need sending to the senior living community. Any mail and/or medications you take must be sent to your new address too!
Contact your GP, asking them to transfer your prescriptions and deliver your meds to the retirement community. We suggest organizing this well in advance to avoid any mix-ups. Do it early enough, and the medication should be ready and waiting for you upon arrival.
Next, consider the different subscriptions and accounts you have in place. Make a note of them all and set about updating your address on them. Of course, this would be an ideal time to update or cancel any unwanted subscriptions too!
Focus On the Positives
As we said at the start, moving into a retirement community is a big deal.
You’re moving away from home you’ve lived in for years, and bidding farewell to a level of independence. It’s a severe change, one that leaves many people in your shoes feeling nervous and vulnerable.
It may help turn your attention to what you’re gaining as opposed to what you’re leaving behind. We know how trite that sounds! But trust us, the vast majority of people entering retirement communities soon come to appreciate their new lifestyle.
The support, simplicity, activities, and social interaction make for an enjoyable day to day experience. When the initial shock wears off, levels of loneliness tend to dissipate, and life becomes more rewarding.
Preparing to Move Into a Senior Living Community
Are you getting ready to move into a senior living community?
Well, we don’t have to tell you how much there is to think about beforehand. This monumental change involves a considerable amount of work, forethought, and emotional upheaval to boot. It’s essential to approach the task such that everything goes ahead as smoothly as possible.
It’s important to not become overwhelmed when moving into a senior living facility. Just take thins one at a time. Thanks!
Many seniors are ready to move into a senior living community, because they have already prepared to join senior living after retirement. But, it is difficult to move for many seniors, so thanks for sharing useful guidelines to prepare to move into a senior living community.
My grandma just recently from her job after 40 years working in there, and she’s planning to move a peaceful retirement community, after turning over her work, which is why we’re currnelty looking for a real estate agent that may help us out. Well, you’re right that we must acquire with the staff of our prospective retirement community. I also agree with you that visiting numerous facilities is a must so she’ll have more options.
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