There’s nothing like a small skiff of snow, some ice pellets, or a strong north wind to help you recognize how tough winter moves can be in our region. This is no small matter for seniors who need to move in the winter. Along with icy walkways, it gets harder for people, and especially seniors, to move around easily and safely when you are also bundled up in bulky coats, scarves, and boots. Winter weather really can make a simple move more complicated than it would be during other seasons, and things can get really tricky if you are all bundled up, trying to carry a big mattress to the truck when the wind picks up.
At Elder Move Inc. our job includes taking the stress out of your move. Instead of encouraging you to do it all separately, we are your one stop shop whether you are downsizing and organizing to stay where you are, or you are moving into a new home. Winter makes things more slippery, sure, but we’re very used to coordinating all the logistics, from arranging our team, bringing packing materials, booking elevators, directing moving trucks into loading docks, and we’ll even make sure we know where we’ve packed your cup and saucer or coffee mug.
As a qualified company of senior move managers, we help with more than just packing and moving. We answer all kinds of questions, arrange for other coordination between building managers, nursing units, and social workers. We can help sell your unwanted items, and donate things to local charities that happily put them to good use. We can also ship your heirlooms to family that are living in other cities. We want to provide you with the support you need so that when you’re all settled into your new space and looking at the snow that blankets the ground outside, you’ll think to yourself, “Hey, I am so glad they did all that work and I didn’t need to.”
When it comes to your new space, we do also provide unpacking services. That way there are no boxes or wrappings to be getting in your way.
If you are living in or moving to other areas, you can access qualified referrals to other senior move managers by contacting the National Association of Senior Move Managers. If you’re living in or moving to Edmonton, Alberta or the central Alberta area, we’d love to speak with you. Just call us at (780) 668-9767, or use the contact form here on our site.
So it’s time to start thinking about the holidays (someone has Christmas music playing around here already), and all the “things” that we bring out while decorating for the holidays. Is it possible to create a clutter free Christmas? If you’ve downsized already (or perhaps your parents have) you may not have a lot of clutter to contend with, but others among us have a trove of things we want out and on display.
One year I managed to get all the non-Christmas things put away before I brought out the Christmas treasures, and I looked around the living room before decorating and realized how nice it looked. I only put out a few Christmas ornaments that year, and honestly enjoyed the elegance of a simpler room. After New Year’s when I put it all away, I did not put all of the usual ornaments and doo-dads back out. I left them packed away and enjoyed the openness of a free space. Since that time, my Christmas and non-seasonal approach is that less is more, there is beauty in having a few special things out (especially if they are very sparkly for Christmas), and it’s easier to dust!
Here are a few strategies for managing the holiday clutter:
- Too many ornaments and baubles and sparkly toys? Consider donating decorations you no longer use. Although some of what you have may have a lot of sentimental value, there are probably also things that you keep packing and unpacking, that bring no joy to you anymore, and that could be appreciated somewhere else.
- Get clear about the amount of clutter you have. If you’ve got one of those slightly broken reindeer, a figurine of Santa with the arm missing, or those pipe cleaner candy canes with no fuzz left, think about their current and future purpose and put them in the garbage bin. Be gentle if you have to, but don’t display them or pack them up to think about it for next year. Enjoy any of the fun memories they have for a moment, and then move them on.
- Big bulky trees don’t fit so well in small apartments and or an individual room in an assisted living facility. If you’d like to treat someone to a small tree, stick to the small variety and make sure the person is able to turn the lights on and off – switches placed behind the bed, or on the floor (in addition to being a tripping hazard) need some thought, and they don’t work that well for a lot of seniors or the elderly because they are hard to use. There are all kinds of options available, including battery operated trees, so make sure you do your research (and include spare batteries!).
Do you like these kind of posts? Are they helpful? Let me know!
We were pretty excited to be part of a big trade show about two weeks ago. We met hundreds of people that day, and the energy in the room was inspiring! This was the 5th annual Fabulous@50 event, and our second year there, so we even became a sponsor this year. Pam Robertson, Ph.D. delivered a presentation on developing resilience that really had a lot of great ideas people can use to develop new habits as well as encouraging those habits in our children and grandchildren. I am not so certain I will take up her suggestion of singing exactly, but I can relate to how better breathing is helpful so I am thinking about taking up the trombone and seeing how that goes. I do find myself humming louder in the car than I used to do, and I know that there were other elements that I am going to use from her presentation. Being resilient is an essential life skill.
Andrew Campbell of Invision Reproductions sponsored us by donating a beautiful digital frame plus an additional gift of 1000 photos or slides scanned for no charge! Thank you Andrew, for being such a great supporter of Elder Move Inc. and your gift. The winner was really excited when I called about their prize!
Laurie Toth of Flower’s by LaTerre’s created a stunning bouquet of flowers inside of a giant teacup, which I presented to Pam as a gift after she spoke for us. Pam reports that the arrangement lasted beautifully and was still going strong a week after the trade show! 
I love the energy of a trade show, and there were plenty of baby boomer’s at this one, many of whom are helping their parents – who are seniors or the elderly – to downsize, organize, and get things coordinated in their homes or relocated to a new space. That’s exactly what we do, in between trade shows of course!
There was a really interesting coping exercise that was implemented in Germany, to help stop dementia patients from wandering away from their nursing homes. The practice was to install a bus stop outside the door, although no bus actually stopped there. Resident were accustomed to taking busses to get where they wanted, and so in their confused state and when ready to leave the nursing home and head back to their own homes (which may or may not have family waiting for them), when they saw the bus stop, they would take a seat on the bench, relax, and wait for the bus. Not long afterward, a member of the staff would come out of the building and tell them that the bus was delayed and invite them back inside for coffee. The expectations was that at some point in the process, the patient would forget they were planning to escape the nursing home, and would carry on with their day as usual.
The jury is still out on whether the fake bus stop practice is ethical or not, and I couldn’t find reports on how it worked with other residents but I am wondering if residents with other conditions might just be perturbed by the idea. However, what the practice does highlight is how essential it is to offer programs and activities that engage the residents, that keep them interested in life and being a part of their community, and at times, distracted.
Any thoughts on the issue?
We get asked this question a lot: “What do I do with my mom / dad / grandparent? They won’t let go of anything!”
Our things are all attached to other things – a memory, a moment, and sometimes guilt. We hear comments such as, “I can’t get rid of that! My mom gave that to me on my 16th birthday, and I know I never use it, but I can’t just throw it out!”
Instead of feeling guilt over an item that is adding to your clutter, we suggest that you give yourself permission. Give yourself permission to hold the item, to appreciate that your mom, or best friend, or long lost uncle gave it to you. Then, remind yourself that it really is something that you do not use or need, and therefore it probably needs a new home. Next, you can kindly, sensitively, release the item from trappings of guilt or obligation and pass it along.
If this seems too hard to do, try the following tips:
- Give yourself a break! Sometimes we are trying to downsize but we’re not able to get rid of things that are special to us or that we think we might use in the near future. If you really aren’t ready to get rid of something, set it aside and keep it in a pile that you label “essentials”.
- After you have finished sorting, take another look at your “essentials” pile. Are the things in it all still essentials? If so, put them away or pack them to prepare for your upcoming move. If the things aren’t really essential and you decide that there are some that you can part with, add them to your donation or rubbish pile.
- Are some items more essential than others? Which ones are your absolute must haves? Do all the items fit nicely in your new space (if you are moving) or fit in your existing space? If not, are some items in good condition so they could be useful to someone else? (Sometimes, knowing that the items could be useful to someone else can make it easier to pass them on.)
Downsizing is not an exact science, and there is no way to make it easy for everyone, but it doesn’t have to be painful. We can help you make it easier.
At any age and under the best of circumstances, relocation is stressful. Dealing with the planning, packing, and paying for the relocation is one thing, but the emotional cost of relocation can be fairly traumatic.
In the elderly these symptoms can quickly become exacerbated by dementia, mild cognitive impairment, poor physical health, frailty, lack of a support system and sensory impairment. There are questions that need to be asked prior to a senior relocation:
- Does the senior understand why they are being relocated?
- Did he/she participate in the decision making?
- Can he/she see and hear well enough in their new environment?
- Does he/she have anyone to assist them pack or move?
- Will they remember that their current location will no longer be their home?
- Can he/she keep his/her doctor, friends, plants, or pets?
We can help to lessen relocation anxiety by respecting the individual, telling them that it is an adjustment, and letting them know that it will take time. Each individual is unique and will make adjustments at his or her own pace. Allowing as much time before the move will help prepare them.
In an age of hectic schedules, families also feel the strain of moving the loved one. Many families no longer live close at hand and the sandwich generation is being pulled in multiple directions on any given day. There are professionals who specialize in relocating seniors. Call Elder Move Inc, senior relocation specialists who can help mitigate the issues involved in Senior Moving and make the transition painless.
