5 Tips To Reduce Stress From Relocating Later In Life When Aging In Place Is Not An Option

Aging In Place           

As the American population continues to age, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other government agencies have established the concept of aging in place as an important goal. Aging in place commonly refers to a senior’s ability to safely and independently remain living in their home. Sometimes independence means that the senior will remain living alone—and other times it means that additional services, such as eldercare, will need to be brought into the home to provide a helping hand.

Is Aging In Place Achievable?

Although aging in place is a laudable goal, it is not always easily achievable. A three-story family home that was perfect for raising five children may no longer be accessible for an elderly person who recently broke a hip or has other mobility concerns. And someone who has lived their whole life in the cold winters and muggy summers of Minnesota but now has COPD may need to consider a move to the dry air of Arizona. The key is to recognize when aging in place is feasible and when a move to a new location is a safer and healthier option.

If Aging In Place is Unattainable

Moving can be a challenging experience for anyone — no matter what their age. In fact, many studies suggest that moving ranks among the top five most stressful life experiences, alongside major events like birth, death, marriages, and divorces. These challenges and stress are compounded when the move involves seniors. Sometimes these moves are simply downsizing from a family home to a smaller retirement-sized apartment, condominium, or senior living complex in the same city or town. Other moves cover larger geographic ground — as many older Americans choose to relocate from cold Northern locations to warmer and sunnier environs in Florida and Arizona.

No matter where a person is moving from or to, there are certain relocation tips that are guaranteed to reduce stress for both the senior who is relocating and his/her family members.

Five Relocation Tips

Once a decision has been made to relocate, the following five tips from Roy Barker and AGE Ucational.com can make the relocation process easier.

1. Have open and honest dialogues with family members and medical professionals. Clearly articulate what challenges you are facing in your current setting and what your hopes, dreams, and fears are for the years to come. These conversations will help everyone make more informed decisions about the best options for a possible relocation. Remember moving is stressful and expensive. It is easier to move only one time. But, this is only possible if you clearly communicate your wishes.
2. Moving can be a highly emotional process for many seniors. People often have strong emotional attachments to their family homes and the items in these homes. Take your time to sort out these feelings — no one wants to feel rushed during the relocation process. Although it may not be possible to take every item with you when you relocate, make sure to take the items that have strong sentimental value.
3. Remember it is not necessary to do everything yourself. There are wonderful companies available in most metropolitan areas (and even in some smaller communities) that are skilled at helping seniors relocate. Even if you have family members in the area who can help you, sometimes it is less stressful to outsource the tedious or emotionally charged tasks to an outsider.
4. Carefully plan the process — if at all possible. Any move is likely to be stressful. The stress only skyrockets when the move is surrounded by uncertainty. At the same time, recognize that even with the best of planning unexpected challenges are likely to crop up. Make sure that there is time in the relocation schedule to deal with these unexpected hiccups; and schedule time in your day for self-care and stress reduction activities.
5. Make sure that you have the necessary resources, particularly medical care, lined up in the community that you will be relocating to. If you already have friends or relatives in the new area, they may be able to offer recommendations about trusted doctors. Otherwise, the Internet is an invaluable resource for you to check out medical providers. Lining up doctors is particularly important if you have chronic health conditions that require a specialist care. Also, remember to pack sufficient supplies of all of your current medications in case there is any delay in getting in to see your newest provider or in transferring prescriptions to the new pharmacy. Remember your physical and emotional health should always be the top priority throughout the moving process.

Although aging in place is an important goal for many elderly individuals, it may not always be the right answer for everyone. Some seniors may find relocating — from downsizing and moving to a nearby retirement community to packing their bags for a warmer climate — to be their preferred solution. But, relocating is not an easy process — moves are rife with stress. The tips offered in this article are designed to reduce stress and ensure that the relocating senior remains happy, healthy, and stress free during the move, and that they are able to embrace their new life once they have moved.  

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