No child, regardless of age wants to believe that their parent’s ability to remain independent is at risk.  The following list will help you to determine if this is the case. 

12 SIGNS THAT YOUR PARENT MAY BE AT RISK OR IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE

1. The laundry and the dishes are being neglected. The house appears to be unkempt, especially the bathrooms.  Their once tidy home is becoming cluttered with items not put away or garbage not thrown out.
2. Household maintenance and repairs are falling behind. Lawn is not mowed regularly, gardens tended, garbage taken out, lightbulbs replaced, calendar changed to the new month.
3. The refrigerator contains spoiled food they swear is “just fine” or there is a shortage of fresh food available. This may accompany an unexplained weight loss suggesting that they are no longer cooking or eating regularly. There may also be an abundance of the same items (multiple pounds of coffee, boxes of the same cereal and cans of food) in the food cupboards.  Rebuying the same item over and over can be a sign of memory loss or stocking up to reduce the number of trips needing to be made outside the home.
4. Difficulty managing medications – missed doses, overdoses, can’t read directions on bottles, numerous prescriptions from different doctors, too expensive
5. Unsteady while walking – has fallen more than once, reluctant to walk usual distances, unexplained injuries, expressed fear of falling, narrow stairways
6. Decline in personal cleanliness – unkempt appearance, body odor, wearing the same clothes for days
7. Missed or excessive doctor/hospital visits
8. Change in behavior or personality – more anxious, depressed, upset, lack of interest unusual activities, noticeable change in daily routine
9. Changes in sleep patterns – sleeping in more often, increased number of naps, increasing complains of “just not feeling well” to avoid activities.
10. Reluctance to leave the house or drive anywhere – changed visiting patterns with friends and/or family, decreased involvement in social or religious activities
11. Bills are left unpaid or mail unopened. Excessive anxiety surrounding money.
12. Altered communication patterns – less frequent, poorer quality, changes in vision or hearing ability.

If you or your parents are struggling with any of the above challenges, don’t worry.  Help is at hand. At Next Chapter Senior Services we can support you and your family in arranging for services and assistance to mitigate life’s challenges.

The Art of De-Cluttering and Downsizing

Are you getting ready to move or just want more space and less clutter?

Do any of the following sound familiar?

• I can’t find anything!
• I don’t use it now, but I may need it!
• But it was a gift!
• There’s just too much to go through!
• I don’t have time!

Here are some simple solutions to the above:

• Sounds like it’s time to de-clutter and organize.
• If you don’t use it regularly, you probably don’t need it.
• Sell or donate it. Now that you are through enjoying it perhaps re-gift or donate it
• Start small & start early. Begin with one drawer or cupboard at a time.
• Call in the experts.

Call in the experts!

Professional Organizers ( www.nextchapterseniorservices.ca ) specialize in downsizing and reorganizing. We have, in the past, had clients that were unable to complete their downsizing prior to moving due to health issues. We suspect that having procrastinated for too long; the stress created by the urgency of a fast closing move date resulted in health and/or anxiety problems. Sadly, this means that the clutter moves with them and the issue that caused the stress is still there in the new location.

There is a mistaken belief that the task of downsizing one’s belongings will be a painstakingly long process and require that you give up many of the things that you love. We are happy to tell you that neither of these is true. In fact, downsizing actually ensures that you keep only what you love. The downsizing process itself can be very quick and extremely emotionally liberating.

Downsizing is the process of sorting your belongings into similar categories and then removing the unnecessary duplicates, any items no longer used or needed and the little bits of scrap paper and old expired mail, lists or notes (we all have them).

The items to keep are organized in a manner that provide easy access in a dedicated location. The items no longer needed are donated, gifted to friends and family, sold at auction or on consignment, or disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

The number one trick to successful downsizing prior to a move is to START EARLY.

If time or motivation is a challenge, contact us at info.nextchapter@gmail.com or visit us at www.nextchapterseniorservices.ca. Next Chapter Senior Services are home transition and relocation specialists. We offer Move Management, Aging in Place Planning and Professional Organizing services.

We move people, not just possessions!

The Downside of Downsizing Your Own Parents

It’s unlikely that your parents are going to be excited about the idea of downsizing. Most of the GI generation have already made up their minds to age-in-place and few have a contingency plan for the “what ifs”.  The process of assisting your parents in downsizing from the family home into a smaller, more manageable residence can often be overwhelming, even under the best of circumstances.

If your parent has become ill or sustained an injury, your feelings of uncertainty for their care and safety can result in hasty decisions and produce less than desirable outcomes.

The simple act of bringing in an experience Move Manager can eliminate the anxiety of the transition for both you and your parent.

Why assisting your own parent to downsize can have unexpected downsides!

• Most adult children are attached to their parent’s belongings since many of these objects represent your childhoods. You don’t actually want the objects – You’d just like to know they are at Mom and Dad’s house. Unfortunately, this results in you getting in your own way as well as in your parents’ way.

• You experience the agony of letting go, by witnessing the object-by-object decision making and the heartbreak of watching your parents go through this often painful process.

• You end up with garages, cupboards and sometimes storage lockers filled with items that you don’t need but are emotionally unable to let go of.

• Expensive mistake are often made in the distribution of the downsized items. The most costly mistakes are often in excessive appraisal costs for what is believed to be the “family antiques” or the donation of a valuable resale item.

• If there are multiple siblings, disagreements regarding distribution are possible. This conflict is not only stressful for you and your parent but can sometimes have lasting effects on the family relationships.                            

• The magnitude of tasks involved; beginning with downsizing and ending with the setup and settle in at the new home, is detail oriented and time consuming. For those who work and/or have a growing family of their own, this process can become overwhelming .

What can our Move Managers do to help? 

• Sort, Organize and Downsize
• Provide referral and information to local senior community residences and support programs.
• Customize floor plans so your parents can visualize where and how much of their belongings will fit into their new home.
• Arrange for the profitable disposal of unwanted items through auction, estate sale, buy-out, consignment, donation, gift or a combination of the above.
• When there are multiple siblings, we can perform a closed family auction (for credits, not cash) for the distribution of family keepsakes. (This can be done online to include out of town families members)
• Refer vetted contractors such as Real Estate Agents, Handymen, Housecleaners, Painters, Gardeners, etc.
• Arrange for shipments and storage.
• Provide professional packing services.
• Interview, schedule and oversee the moving company on move day.
• Unpack and setup the new home exactly as laid out in the Floor Plan. This includes making up the bed & hooking up the electronics.
• Additional services available can include:
  • Assistance with utility transfers.
  • Photographing and inventory of all distributed items.
  • Creation of estate/insurance inventory logs.

 Why hire Next Chapter Senior Services?

Next Chapter Senior Services was created to assist older adults and their families through the emotional as well as the physical challenges of home transition and/or relocation.

The caring and compassionate team at Next Chapter Senior Services:

• Believe that the process provides an opportunity for a fresh start into the NEXT CHAPTER of your parents’ lives, not an end to their independence…

• Will be the patient partner, happy to listen to the stories and memories attached to each precious possession. The tender-hearted third parties, providing gentle encouragement, as we help to dilute the emotional decisions required to assist with letting go of unneeded items.                                                                                 

• Unlike your local moving company, we understand the emotional aspects of these transitional moves. We specialize in helping older adults and their families’ transition seamlessly through the move process.

• We have surrounded ourselves with trustworthy, vetted contractors to assist with the multitude of varied tasks and repairs required to prepare the current home for sale or aging-in-place preparations.

• At Next Chapter Senior Services we are passionate about providing un-paralleled service and unwavering support throughout the entire process.

 info.nextchapter@gmail.com

www.nextchapterseniorservices.ca

Make a Decision or Choose to Let Others

 Make Your Decisions for You!

If you or someone you love is an older adult living alone, the information below is a must read!

So you have decided to Age in Place and live the rest of your life in the home that you love.  With a little planning, that choice is far more likely to occur.  Unfortunately, far too many people neglect to plan ahead.  Being remiss in your future arrangements is the same as choosing to let someone else make your decisions for you.

For example: while hurrying down the hall to answer the phone you trip over a loose area carpet, take a tumble and break a hip.  The sudden trip to the hospital may have a very different result than the one you expected.

It would be prudent to note that the hospital is not going to release you if you are unable to take proper care of yourself.

So…….here is some of the questions you should be asking yourself in advance:

First and foremost:                                            

• Do you have an emergency contact person? Is the information on how to reach them in a visible spot? (i.e.: on your fridge or in an envelope near your front door).
  • Do they have access to a list of your medications and medical information?
• Do you have a designated Power of Attorney and a Representation Agreement?
  • Does your emergency contact know how to reach your POA or representative?

Now that you have a trusted person or people who can handle the legal and medical decisions, let’s look at what leaving the hospital will entail.

Planning to go home:                                                                                                                                                          

Do you have an arranged plan for home care?                                                                                     

• Who will:
  • Do your shopping and prepare your meals?
  • Ensure you get your proper medications?
  • Help you dress and bath?
  • Drive you to the doctors?
  • Maintain the care and cleanliness of your home?
• If all these services can’t be obtained from one source, who will manage the coordination of all of these services? It is unwise to assume that you will be able to adequately handle these duties on your own, while recuperating.
• How much are these services going to cost?
• How long is this form of care financially feasible?

If you have a well thought out plan in place and everything goes smoothly, you will be very glad that you prepared in advance and can continue to live happily in your own home.

Preparing for an alternative solution:                                                          

We all know that life has an uncanny way of working out quite differently than we planned.  In the event that you are unable to return to your own home; either temporarily or permanently, the following will help you to prepare for this option.

Have you selected an alternative/assisted living community?

• Do they have room for you right away?
• Is there a temporary suite available until a permanent one is ready for you?
• Who is going to complete the move for you?
  • If the move is temporary:
    • Who have you arranged to care for your home, pets, bills, mail & paper pick up, etc. While you are away?
    • How long can they be counted on to continue this?
    • If these duties take more than one person, who will handle the coordination to ensure everything gets done?
    • Are you aware of, and have you financially planned for the costs?
  • If the move is to be permanent:
    • Who decides what goes with you and what gets sold, gifted, donated or disposed of?
    • Who will handle the physical job of downsizing, selling, packing, moving, unpacking & settling in, disconnection of services, change of address, sale of the home, etc.?
    • Are you aware of, and have you financially planned for the costs?

While the above questions may seem overwhelming at first, by addressing them one at a time and taking the time to answer them thoroughly, you are taking control of the choices for your future.

Now the good news!  You do not have to do all of this by yourself.  Family, friends and local health authorities can assist with information and solutions to many of the questions you have.  Check out the “Helpful Links”.

Still seem overwhelming?

Call in the experts. 

The caring and experienced team at Next Chapter Senior Services can assist you through the complete process.  Call us today to find out how we can help you prepare for your Next Chapter.

Website: www.nextchapterseniorservices.ca

Email: info.nextchapter@gmail.com