Fitting items into a new space
When seniors move into a senior community, they often have to significantly downsize to accommodate the size restrictions of their new space. That exercise can be very freeing and can ease the transition to their new home; however, old habits can die hard or not at all and before you know it the new space may quickly fill up. This can cause frustration for the resident, as well as the community. So, what to do?
Determine what is filling up the space
The first thing is to try and determine the root cause of the problem. Is it due to health issues or some problem that is out of the resident’s control? Is it about habits or a lifestyle choice? Is it loneliness or fatigue? Once the root cause is determined it’s much easier to help them navigate the solutions. Health issues can stop a person in their tracks and render them unable to keep up with their space. Factor in medical equipment and the space can quickly become very cluttered. Habits are rarely left behind when a resident moves to a new home. If they were used to being surrounded by a lot of stuff, then before long the stuff can begin to creep back into their space. Loneliness or fatigue can lead to depression, which in turn can cause the resident to neglect their space.
Finding a solution
Once the root cause is determined it’s easier to find and implement solutions which may range from adjusting health, medical/mental care to engaging professional services, including in-home health care, senior transition or organizing services. Regardless of the root cause, the most important thing is that the resident feels supported and in a judgement free space. Which is often the fine line between success and failure.
Darla Pompilio
Your Tasks – Our Time, LLC
