Karen watched the snow pile up in the driveway. Soon, she and her husband would no longer have to worry about shoveling or paying someone to do it.
And yet their move would soon be upon them. How would they manage with the weather being so unpredictable?
But Karen quickly dismissed her concern, because she had a number of tips to follow to make their move to senior living accommodations as smooth as possible.
Although moving typically comes with both hassles and stress, relocating during the winter can be rewarding, if you follow some helpful tips to make the process one of warmth and joy rather than icy challenges.
And if you’re still on the fence, here are some of the reasons residents make the choice to move to senior living:
● Freedom from home maintenance. Winter is one of the hardest times to maintain a home. From snow removal to winterizing your home and ensuring your steps, mailbox and sidewalks are cleared, winter can be downright treacherous. In senior living accommodations, home maintenance is included, so you don’t need to worry about braving the cold or injuring yourself with a fall.
● Care is on site. Need to go to the doctor in bad weather? In a senior living community, you often can have your care needs met right on campus.
● An enriching lifestyle is just outside your door. Isolation and depression can increase during the winter, but in a senior living community, there are endless opportunities to engage with others and participate in an array of programs and activities.
● No fear of high heating bills. In a senior living community, you can leave those worries behind because everything is included in your fees.
If you do decide to make the move now, here are tips and tricks to ensure the safest move possible:
● Use bad-weather days to downsize and pack. Start by going through each room and separating items to keep, toss, donate or store. Throw away any items you don’t need, pass down family heirlooms you don’t want to pack and enjoy knowing you’re making big steps toward a smooth move.
● Plan around the weather. Monitor the weather forecast for the days leading up to your move. If your family and friends are helping and their travel may be affected by inclement weather, consider rescheduling to ensure everyone’s safety.
● Make your last few trips outdoors to ensure a safe walkway for moving. Prevent slips and falls by ensuring walkways are cleared and de-iced. The last thing you want to do before a move is get hurt!
● Consider a moving company. If moving during the winter seems too much for you, but you don’t want to wait to enjoy the lifestyle you deserve, consider hiring a moving service. They can move larger items, reduce your stress and ensure you are able to make the move to senior living when you want to.
For more tips and tricks on making the move to senior living during the winter, contact us today!
Matt Petrauskas
Corporate Director of Sales Training and Support
