Embracing Change when Moving to a Senior Living Community

Embracing change is never easy, and some find it especially hard when moving into a senior living community. When the time comes to make this move, the experts at CRISTA Senior Living can help seniors embrace change with confidence.

Moving to a Senior Living Community with Confidence

When it’s time to move from your house to a senior living community, follow these tips to feel more confident and at ease:

• Start planning and researching well before it’s time to move so you have more choices and control.
• Thoroughly research senior communities in the area where you want to live. CRISTA Senior Living offers two locations to choose from: Cristwood Park in Shoreline, WA, and Crista Shores in Silverdale, WA.
• Read the websites and blogs of the places you’d like to learn about and find out what they offer.
• Visit the places you like to take a tour, talk with residents, and meet with the staff and leadership.
• Eat a meal or two at the places you want to consider more closely and attend some of the events.
• When you’ve decided on a senior living community, choose the size of apartment you want and, if necessary, put your name on a waiting list.
• Take the measurements and photos of the apartment (plans for these are often on websites). Watch this video to see the apartment layouts at Cristwood Park in Shoreline.

Embracing Change and Letting Go

Once you know the size and dimensions of the apartment you will move into, it’s time to downsize to make your new home comfortable and inviting.

• Begin downsizing long before you plan to move so you can do it slowly and thoughtfully. Start with the things you have in storage. Consider donating or giving away whatever you haven’t used or thought about for at least a year. It has served its purpose and now it’s time for someone else to enjoy it.
• Many people have stacks of paperwork that can be shredded. Follow these guidelines to know what you can safely get rid of—it may lessen your load of “stuff” considerably!
• KEEP FOREVER: Birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree, social security card, ID card, passport
• Keep for 3-7 years: Tax return supporting documents
• Keep for 7 years: Loan payment records
• Keep for one year: Quarterly investment records, quarterly retirement savings statements, credit card statements, pay stubs, medical bills, receipts for large purchases
• Keep for one month: Utility bills, deposit and withdrawal records
• Take a break and pat yourself on the back—doesn’t it feel good to be free of extra?
• Now it’s time to take a good look at all of your possessions and go through them thoughtfully, determining which ones you want to keep, give away, or toss. Donate all the duplicates in your linen closet and kitchen cupboards.
• Give precious items to family members you know will love them, but only if they won’t fit your new place and you don’t want them any longer.

Getting Closer to Your Move

As the day draws near for you to move, follow these tips to make it an easy transition.

• Measure your furniture and take only the pieces that fit in your new apartment, and that you like the most. It may be time for a new living room set! Or maybe you want to keep only a few pieces from yours and give the rest away to those in need or grandchildren just starting to live on their own.
• Decide which dishes you like most if you have multiple sets and only bring the ones you will use. Do the same with pots and pans, silverware, and kitchen utensils.
• Reduce your linen to two or three sets—one to use and one to have in the wash, and if you plan on having overnight guests, one for them.
• In general, give away more than you keep so your new apartment doesn’t feel crowded. But keep in mind that you can always give away more once you’ve moved and gotten a better feel for the space.

The more you are able to Embrace Change in your move to a Senior Living Community, the more you will enjoy the new freedom and community it brings. Give yourself time to adjust and soon you’ll have new friends and adventures to enjoy.

To find out more about CRISTA Senior Living and visit us for a tour, call (206) 889-5505 or go to Christian Senior Living Communitites | CRISTA Senior Living