Selling the Home of your Loved One and Transitioning to Assisted Living

Before retirement, many people spend a considerable amount of time thinking about whether or not they would like to age in place or leave their home for an assisted living facility when the time is right. While seniors often enjoy their independence well into retirement, living on their own can actually be a risky proposition. Article by Stephanie Haywood

Many seniors do reach a point where they cannot enjoy a high quality of life while living at home on their own. If you worry about the health and wellbeing of your senior loved one, and you’re starting to question if he or she is truly safe at home, these factors can serve as indications that assisted living would be a better choice. When that time comes, it’s likely time to help them sell their home.

The Risk of Falling

Unfortunately, many seniors are not entirely safe in their own homes. Anything from a casual throw rug to a slippery step could pose a fall risk for a senior whose balance is a bit unsteady. Falls are relatively common—according to GreatCall, about one in four seniors falls each day, and between 20 to 30 percent of falls result in serious injuries. Furthermore, approximately 60 percent of falls happen inside the senior’s home.

If your loved one recently fell, and he or she is nervous that it might happen again, moving into assisted living could be preferable to living at home. Before finding a facility, carefully research costs and amenities. If your loved one will need to sell their home to help fund their stay in assisted living, you’ll want to also research the local real estate market to determine how much they could earn from a potential sale.

Loneliness and Depression

Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions can occur at any age. Seniors are often prone to such conditions because many feel lonely in their day-to-day lives. This can be especially true of seniors who have lost a spouse. Getting out of the house and socializing or volunteering can be effective ways for seniors to alleviate these feelings of loneliness, but for seniors who have difficulty getting around by themselves, these may not be good options. At an active seniors community, they will have plenty of options for social interaction with the staff and other residents.

Medical Concerns

Has your loved one developed a medical condition recently? Maybe you were able to help to manage those needs at first, but as time went on, the condition progressed. Your loved one may occasionally forget to take essential medications or schedule necessary doctor’s appointments. If you catch yourself worrying about your loved one’s ability to handle his or her own medical needs, you may want to talk to your senior about moving into assisted living. When your loved one is at an assisted living facility, the staff will always ensure that he or she is taking medications and receiving treatments as prescribed.

Having the Conversation

As you might expect, it can be tough to bring up the topic of assisted living with your loved one. If you know that they deeply value their independence and their home, you might anticipate that they will try to resist having the conversation. This is why it’s so crucial to approach this discussion with a high level of sensitivity. Even if you are deeply worried about your loved one and strongly feel that a transition to assisted living in the near future is needed, patience is key.

You should also emphasize to your loved ones that even if they can no longer live at home alone, there will still be a choice in certain matters. For example, you can offer to visit local facilities together and explain that ultimately, the facility where selected will be their personal decision. Do keep in mind that if your loved one needs round-the-clock care, a nursing home will be a better fit as these facilities will have the skilled nursing care they’ll require. When choosing a Denver-area nursing home, be sure to review feedback from other families and learn about costs and payment options.

You can also ease any concerns they have over the move itself. They may be worried that decluttering, organizing, and moving will be especially stressful for them. Let them know you’ll take steps to relieve them of as much of the responsibility as possible. For example, connecting with highly experienced real estate agents like Brian Chandler is a sure-fire way to know the home sale will be handled in a professional and trustworthy manner. Similarly, you can assure them you’ll hire highly-rated local furniture movers, who will be sure to protect their belongings throughout the moving process.

Organizing Paperwork

As you go over your loved one’s options, you will also want to take care of any necessary documents for the sale of the home and that would allow you to act on their behalf if the circumstances called for it. Verify that you’re not missing any important legal paperwork well in advance of having to act on an issue. For instance, talk to your senior about information regarding power of attorney, as well as a living will. You may need the services of a lawyer to prepare some of these documents.

For your senior loved one, moving into an assisted living facility may be an emotional and difficult process. But if it has become obvious that he or she is not truly safe at home, this is the best course of action. In many cases, the staff at an assisted living facility can provide the kind of care your loved one needs to enjoy a comfortable life.

Whether you’re buying or selling in Parker, CO, Brian Chandler brings 40 years of sales experience. Contact Brian today!

Moving is always a big change, but it can be an exciting one too. I wish you all the best as you make this journey and explore all that our beautiful state has to offer.  Brian is also a Senior Real Estate Specialist

Also, you can download a FREE copy of Brian’s book ” GAIN MORE FREEDOM BY DOWNSIZING YOUR HOME”

 

 

 

Real estate pro Brian Chandler of RE/MAX Alliance Group is a top producer and sales trainer located in the Parker, Colorado, area. Whether you’re buying or selling, team up with Brian today! 720.808.1007 Read more articles like these Top Realtor Info Contact Brian Chandler