“Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born
at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen.”
—Mark Twain
☞ There is also an emotional toll in
going through the process. All those belongings
will likely conjure up numerous memories—
not just for you but also for any adult children
who might be assisting you.
The upside of moving to a
smaller place
It could happen at age 60 or maybe not
until age 90, but at some point many older
adults decide to leave their family home and
relocate to a place better suited to enjoying
the golden years. It’s not something to procrastinate about, because the benefits are
numerous, making for a happier lifestyle.
☞ Instead of worrying or feeling guilty
about being unable to keep up the necessary
maintenance, yardwork or cleaning of your
large older home, you’ll find a smaller place
limits the chores and frees up your time for
what you really enjoy.
☞ If your older home has narrow stairways that you need to use to get to the bedroom, bathroom or laundry room, a modern
single-level place is a much safer and more
practical layout, particularly if you have any
health problems.
☞ Older neighborhoods tend to become
transitional and subject to crime problems.
Given reported increases in crimes against
older people—specifically, scam artists and
home invasions—moving to a safer environ-
ment brings peace of mind and security.
Vickie Dellaquila is a Certified Professional
Organizer, the author of Don’t Toss My
Memories in the Trash and the owner of
Organization Rules® Inc.,
www.organization
rules.com, based in Pittsburgh.
Category Residential Medicalcare Description
Elder-care finder NA NA Service to help define individual needs and to locate care
alternatives within a geographical area
Home-care help In own home No Non-medical assistance in the home; housekeeping, meal preparation
Home-care nursing In own home Yes Medical care in the home by licensed personnel
w
H d an
H cd
D h CONTINUED ON PAGE 32 Learning elder-care language IF YOU START looking at care alternatives for aging relatives or yourself, you’ll soon discover an intimidating new vocabulary and, worse, an uneven playing field where apples and oranges are difficult to sort. Below is an introduction to many of the more common elder-care services you’ll encounter, but expect to find wide-ranging versions of services in each of these categories.
Adult day-care centers No
A
Limited
Adult family homes
Ao
Yes
Limited
Continuing-care
residential
communities
Co in c
rs
Yes
Yes
Assisted living
A sis g
Yes
Limited
Skilled nursing home Yes S ille n ing
Yes
Hospice and
palliative-care
programs
H nd
pa tive-ca
pr gr ms
In own home Yes
or dedicated
hospice facility
n n
d ed
sp e f cili y
Community based; typically weekdays; food and activities;
limited healthcare for additional fee; transportation may be available
ya e
m l c on p
Residential homes typically licensed for six nonrelated residents;
provide room, board, supervision, personal care, social services;
nursing staff may be available for an extra fee
es d e l e la r ;
pvdo s ,oas er
n i y va b n e
Housing community with full range of services,
from independent living to skilled nursing
H g o it it u n f
f en l i g ille in
Individual apartments, full-time staff, activities and dining facilities;
limited healthcare for additional fee
