There comes a point in every senior’s life when they find it’s time to think about if they can maintain an independent lifestyle. Sometimes the answer is cut and dry. There is nothing screaming at you that you need help yet, but those times may be in the past. It isn’t always memory loss or an inability to care for ourselves as much as it is an inability to do some of the daily tasks we once flew through.
Even carrying the groceries up after a trip to Publix in Fort Lauderdale can be a real trial or a trip to Safeway in LA an even greater challenge! After what is the world’s worst traffic congestion, there is little energy left for anything but a walk from the elevator to the couch where all we want is a nice little nap. Maybe a bit of help at a senior living community would be nice, after all.
But how do we leave everything behind that we’ve lived and done for so very many years? Let’s talk about that for just a minute. It may not be as difficult as you think!
Look for Senior Living Communities Closer to Home
Sometimes you don’t need to make a total change in the life and community you’ve been a part of for so long. Sometimes all you need to ask yourself is whether there are senior communities near me like those at Belmont Village in Ft. Lauderdale or LA. With so many around the country, there just may be one in your city so you would still be near your friends, family, church, synagogue or temple.
You may not need to make a total change other than where you rest your weary head at night. With support staff to help with those little things you can no longer manage, why not? You can still shop the same stores, play bingo at the same bingo halls and even visit the same beaches and parks for a bit of fresh air.
Bring Your Cherished Memories with You
No one is going to walk into your apartment and just start rearranging everything or telling you what you can place on the credenza. So, you have that photo of you and your husband on your 50th wedding anniversary, gone now these past few years. You still have the bronzed baby shoes of all three of your children you keep visible to bring back those early years of love and joy.
Those are the things that will help you transition from one residence to the next. Why would you need to leave those memories behind? About the only thing you will be leaving behind is the worry about whether or not the lawn guy will do the grass this week or how to shovel the walk after a snow storm. Won’t it be nice to leave all that behind?
Be As Active as Possible in Your New Community
There’s one more thing that will make the transition easier. Join as many community activities as early on as you can after the move. Get out there and meet other seniors who may like the same things you do. Who knows? You just might meet a new bingo buddy or find that pastimes they like actually appeal to you. There’s no time to feel sad or out of place if you are busy (but not overly so), so get up and get going. It will do you and your new friend a world of good.