{"id":107,"date":"2013-06-04T17:36:53","date_gmt":"2013-06-04T17:36:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.senioradvisor.com\/?p=107"},"modified":"2020-09-16T12:09:09","modified_gmt":"2020-09-16T17:09:09","slug":"senior-downsizing-how-to-make-your-new-home-feel-just-like-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2013\/06\/senior-downsizing-how-to-make-your-new-home-feel-just-like-home\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Downsize Your Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to Downsize Your Home<\/h1>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Over the last year, Kimberly Frankel has worked with families to transition seniors from their homes and condos into retirement communities in Los Angeles, CA<\/span><\/a><\/span>. Specializing in \u201cmaking the new place feel just like home,\u201d Frankel offered SeniorAdvisor.com<\/span><\/a><\/span> her six top tips for moving a loved one into a senior care community:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Downsize furniture to fit<\/h2>\n

\u201cBe aware that their current furniture may be in a grand scale and may not fit in the smaller, downsized rooms of retirement facilities,\u201d says Frankel. She suggests drawing up a floor plan to scale to ensure that the new furniture will actually fit into the new space. Think ahead, Frankel advises: \u201cLeave ample space for seniors to maneuver their current or potential walkers or chairs, in order to make the physical transition easier.\u201d<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Consider wiring and remote-controlled devices<\/h2>\n

\u201cCreating ease of living is key when it comes to moving seniors,\u201d Frankel notes.\u00a0\u201cRooms may not be electrically wired for your senior\u2019s needs.\u201d Frankel\u2019s service sets up custom electrical wiring and remote-controlled items such as windows, televisions, and lights. Making these items easier to use, Frankel says, makes the transitions easier, and also helps it feel just like home.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Shelving and storage space<\/h2>\n

\u201cAdditional shelving may be needed to store seniors\u2019 belongings and personal mementos that may be used at a later time,\u201d says Frankel, who meets with her clients to specifically analyze how much shelving will be needed to store their belongings, and then installs the additional shelving if necessary. If working with an agency, she suggests you make sure to ask whether they will do more than simply unpack.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ask your loved one\u2019s opinion<\/h2>\n

During the stress that accompanies a move, seniors\u2019 opinions often end up being overlooked, Frankel says. \u201cThey too have specific ideas of what they would like and it is very important to empower them and let them make decisions for their new abode. They usually have an emotional attachment to their current belongings and feelings about what they would like in their new home. Additional downsized furniture may need to be purchased in order to accommodate the smaller spaces or the lack of storage space.\u201d Consult your loved one and involve them in the purchase-making decision.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Say goodbye to dishes<\/h2>\n

Unless your senior is moving into independent living or senior apartments, Frankel says you can forget about dishes: \u201cEven though they may think they are going to need lots of dishes, the fact of the matter, is that they really don’t. Pack very little in kitchen paraphernalia, as they won\u2019t be using it.\u201d Confirm with the community whether meals are provided.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Finally\u2026 pack a few of your favorite things<\/h2>\n

As for finishing touches, Frankel says it\u2019s all about familiarity. \u201cRecognition is a key factor when you are dealing with seniors. I believe that the more familiar pieces are in their view, the happier and more focused they become\u2026[I] take the time to pull out the senior\u2019s favorite things so that when they arrive, each room reminds them of their home. When I handle a move, I make sure that there are ample memory sparks in view, as these are extremely important in order to ease the transition to the new space. The more it looks like home, the easier the emotional transition will be, and the less traumatic the adjustment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hopefully these tips will help you get started in organizing a move to a senior care facility. Understand in advance that it can take more time and effort than expected, and working with a consultant like Frankel can help take the stress out of the move and ease the emotional aspects of these transitions. Frankel promises you\u2019ll be happy you took the time to organize everything when you see how happy your loved one is when they realize that their new environment feels just like home.<\/p>\n

\n

Kimberly Frankel offers a Senior Downsizing service to Los Angeles area families. Learn more about her business at\u00a0<\/i>http:\/\/www.kimberlyfrankel.com<\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How to Downsize Your Home Over the last year, Kimberly Frankel has worked with families to transition seniors from their homes and condos into retirement communities in Los Angeles, CA. Specializing in \u201cmaking the new place feel just like home,\u201d Frankel offered SeniorAdvisor.com her six top tips for moving a loved one into a senior care community: 1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Downsize furniture […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[200,2,234],"tags":[354,23,21,353],"class_list":{"0":"post-107","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-families-caregivers","7":"category-senior-living","8":"category-senior-services","9":"tag-senior-downsizing-services","10":"tag-senior-housing","11":"tag-senior-movers","12":"tag-senior-relocation-services"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSenior Downsizing: How to Make Your New Home Feel \u201cJust Like Home\u201d<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Kimberly Frankel works with families to transition seniors from their homes into retirement communities in Los Angeles, California. 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