Helping Senior Loved Ones Downsizing
As we have discussed, downsizing can feel more difficult for the elderly, who may find it emotionally and physically overwhelming to let go of the items they’ve collected over a lifetime. If a senior loved one is moving to an assisted living or a family home, where they may have less storage space, the extra clutter looming in closets and drawers, can be a stubborn roadblock — or even a justification to resist moving.
Within this section, we will discuss how seniors can be helped with family, friends or if professionals are needed. If their clutter has turned to a hoarding concern, and threatens their personal health or safety, then check out item 3 for tips on how to handle “When clutter gets out of control”.
Friends and family are usually the number 1 choice to enlist in times of need. This can be an enormous help, where your loved one can share some of their memories and even give away some of their items to so they know they cherished possessions will be used by another family, which can make the process less painful. However, reminiscing over loved items can become time-consuming if your loved one is especially interested in “painting a scene” instead of the “cliff notes” version. This can be overwhelming for the caregiver or friend, because as you love this person, you have a large task at hand that needs to get done in a timely manner.
“Sometimes when an adult child steps in to help mom or dad move, they bring emotional baggage. A lot of people are afraid they will lose the memory if they lose the item,” said Mary Kay Buysse, executive director of the National Association of Senior Move Managers. This can then become a downward spiral of anxious feelings that can be overwhelming for the senior or loved one.
If there is a great deal of items and you may feel that professional help is warranted. There are senior help managers who are trained to efficiently organize and are experts at helping to downsize and transition to senior living. Another reason to consider Professional help is discussed in Part 3 When Clutter Gets Out of Control.
Med Transport Center offers non-emergency long-distance medical transportation by ground (MED Coach) or in flight (MED Flight). Our expert professionals coordinate the trip for your loved one while all you will have to do is call to make arrangements.
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Our transportation service is designed for anyone who has increased medical needs or limited mobility, including the elderly, disabled, or even those who are just needing a little assistance during their travel. Med Transportation Center is dedicated to providing a safe, comfortable journey with each ground or in flight transport. Each transport is medically-equipped for non-emergency transports, offers 2 professional drivers, a licensed nurse and offers an emergency physician in case the need arises. Furthermore, our utmost priority is to make sure that your loved one will safely get to his or her destination.
References:
http://www.ascseniorcare.com/family/10-downsizing-tips-for-seniors/
https://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/diogenes-syndrome/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2483957/
http://www.nasmm.org