How to Transition to a Retirement Home

As an adult, you can live in your own home. You get to pick out the furniture, make all the design choices, fill the fridge with your favorite foods, and share your abode with friends and loved ones. Life marches on, and before you know it, you are retired and tired of caring for your house. The effort it takes to do yard work and cook meals is less than worth it, so you need to make some choices about what’s next. The thought of an old folks home is terrible, but that’s because you are thinking about something resembling a hospital with sick, older adults waiting to pass on. In truth, today’s retirement homes are vibrant and dynamic, mimicking a resort rather than a resting place. Are you ready to go for it but need help to make it happen? Transitioning to a retirement home doesn’t have to be scary. It can be smooth and painless. Here’s how.

Figure Out the Right Time

No one should force you into a retirement home because this is a decision only you can make. Often, though, people wait too long and miss out on all that is on offer at these places.

Take stock of your current lifestyle and compare it to all you can do at one of these residences. You may need more socializing or don’t want to buy groceries and cook food. You may be ready to move if you are looking for new friends, great meals, and lots of activities right outside your door.

Go Check Some Places Out

Before moving, check out some local retirement homes to get your thoughts. You may have a resident friend, so start at their place and see how it is. Don’t stop there because many others offer different amenities and features that may work better for you.

Once you visit some, ask many questions. Also, check out the rooms or apartments. Finally, sample the food because this is where you will eat every meal. Once you have visited several, determine if they are available.

Explore Your Options

Just because you don’t want to stay at your current place doesn’t mean you should jump into something without weighing the options. Consider where you could go like:

• Living with a sibling, friend, or adult child
• Downsizing into a condo
• Getting into a motorhome and traveling

These are all viable options, but they may not ease everyday life. Moving in with family or friends can be tough when you are used to living alone and hitting the open road comes with challenges. A condo may not be enough, so your best choice is a retirement residence.

Sort Through Your Belongings

We all accumulate possessions throughout our lives, and while some serve us well, others are packed away because they are tough to part with. When starting your transition to a retirement home, you must sort through your things to see what you will need there. You likely have too much furniture, so you must eliminate some. Decorative items and clothing may be more than your new place can handle.

The best way to organize your stuff is to put it into specific groups. Start with what you intend to keep, as these are things you’ll use later. If you find valuable items that aren’t needed, consider selling them. Clothes and candles that could be useful to others can be donated. However, anything too worn or broken should be thrown away. Once everything is sorted, you can start packing and preparing for your move.

Contact Family and Friends

With a major change in your residence like this, you may be further away from your loved ones. This doesn’t mean you won’t see them anymore, so they should be notified of your arrangements.

This is because you need a cheering squad behind you, supporting your transition, and you also want them to be part of this new life. Retirement homes are great places to bring visitors because they can come for a meal, hang out in your apartment, and even get involved in many activities. You probably need help with the move, so call your friends and family about your exciting new endeavor.

This is how to transition to a retirement home. Change is never easy, but following these steps allows you to adapt smoothly to your new life, full of adventure and wonder.

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