Suzanne Newman joins Kelley Smith at CarePartners Senior Living to talk about how we can help our parents and ourselves so we don’t leave a lot of clutter for our own children to deal with. When a family member downsizes from a 2,000 square foot home to a 900-1200 square foot retirement apartment, or to an independent living or assisted living apartment, now you’re looking at 500-700 square feet of space, or smaller depending on the apartment. You have to weigh what’s important to keep, and it will be home — you want to bring your things so it feels like home. Many people in a home look at the challenge and don’t even know how to begin downsizing. If you have a senior loved one, or have mobility issues, it can seem an overwhelming challenge. This hour will talk about how to begin, and what to expect regarding amenities when you move into senior living, and how can you leave a legacy for your community.
The first thing to do, before going through a house, is figure out what furniture and other items will go into the new location. Kelley recommends picking seasonal clothes, meaning you’re limited as to how many clothes will fit in the closet.
If you’re going to pass on personal items to your family someday, what will that look like? What baby boomers want is different than what other generations want. Kelley and Suzanne suggesting sitting one-on-one with children to talk about what they’d like to have some day. Be clear about who gets what.
