As you gather with family this holiday season, you may notice concerning changes in your elder loved ones. Maybe they aren’t getting around as well as they used to. Perhaps there are health issues that need attention. You may also notice that their mental condition has changed significantly since your last visit. These changes may make you question whether or not they are able to continue living alone safely.
This can be an overwhelming situation and very stressful for the family. Questions that may come up include:
- Does my parent/grandparent need to move or will home health care be enough?
- How will we pay for either help or assisted living?
- How do I bring up the subject to them?
- How do I talk about this to my other family members?
- How can we arrange this when all of us live out of town?
- Am I just being paranoid? What signs of decline should we all be watching for?
- Who’s going to arrange and manage everything? The sale of the house? Moving? Estate Sales?
- Who can help us understand the financial implications?
- What options are there with Medicare?
- Do they have to go to a nursing home? What level of care do they need?
- Should they or can they move in with any of us? Can any of us give them the proper care?
- How do we find a good senior community? Who can help with this?
The biggest question, though, is probably “Where do we start?” The best thing to do is seek out professionals who specialize in helping seniors. That’s where Senior Downsizing Experts comes in. As real estate agents who are certified specialists in helping seniors, we are uniquely equipped to assist families who are facing these issues. We can help you decide whether or not a move is the best option for your senior loved one, or if aging-in-place might be a better option. We can refer you to trusted, senior-focused business including elder law attorneys, financial planners, home healthcare providers, and businesses that provide in-home, non-medical assistance.
Should you decide a move is the best option, we have vetted, senior-friendly service professionals – including home repair experts, packers and movers, and estate sale companies – to help with every step of the process. We work with your family’s timeline in mind and never rush you to make a decision. We can also give you guidance on the housing options available in the area and help you decide what type of senior living community is the best fit for your situation.
We are passionate about our work with boomers and seniors and would love to help make these difficult decisions a little less stressful for your family. Please give us a call at 817-330-9235 if you or someone you know could use our services. Even if you aren’t in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, we can refer you to a senior specialist in your area.
Blessings and Happy Holidays from all of us at Senior Downsizing Experts!