You’ve lived in your home for most of your life and it’s now time to settle down elsewhere. Moving to a retirement home is beneficial to most seniors as it can make their daily life safer and easier. Moving to a retirement home is no easy task, here’s the only checklist you need as a senior who’s taking a new direction in life.
Featured in this articleA retirement home will make daily tasks easier by providing you with support. Yet, being in proximity to loved ones is excellent for moral support and in case you need anything. The simple fact of having your loved ones nearby is reassuring for most seniors.
When visiting the retirement home for the first time, consider your first impressions as they are the key to feeling comfortable in your new environment.
When choosing a retirement home, you should not only consider the size of your personal living space, but also the size of the common areas.
Your personal living space should: fit your furniture, be conveniently located in the building, have built in safety gear and anything else you use on a daily basis.
The common areas should: not be too crowded, have easy access to bathrooms, have cleared pathways and have comfortable seating.
The average monthly cost of living in a retirement home is $2975.
The monthly pricing of living in a retirement home depends on:
Inclusions and exclusions will play a significant role in your daily life at the retirement home. It’s important to determine your independent abilities, what you may need assistance with and what you want to do on your free time.
Amenities usually included:
Additional amenities to consider including:
*May vary by province/state
Finding the right retirement home is quite the challenge. Visit multiple retirement homes and compare the advantages and disadvantages of each to make your final decision. You want to feel good in your new home.
It’s hard to sell the home you’ve spent your entire life in. Saying goodbye to a place where you had so many memories is heart wrenching. To make sure you get your money’s worth, hire a trustworthy real estate agent. Here’s what to look for in a real estate agent:
Pro tip: see the home as an investment opportunity and not a loss. A new beginning awaits.
The retirement home you will be moving to will most likely be smaller than the space you have now. Decluttering can help ease your transition. Here are a few decluttering tips before moving to a retirement home.
Downsizing is an emotional time as it is a reminder of so many past events and memories. To make downsizing less painful, release your emotional attachment to your possessions by acknowledging that they have served you well in the past and accept that they can no longer come with you on this next step of your life. Also, remember that while your space may be smaller, it will be more convenient and more adapted to your current needs.
| Renting a moving truck | Hiring movers |
| More control over possessions | Possession insurance available |
| Physical effort required | Higher budget required |
| More flexibility | Quicker move |
Changing your address when moving to a retirement home is especially important as it will ensure you don’t miss out on things like your benefit payments and your magazine subscriptions.
Want to save time on paperwork? MovingWaldo offers a free change of address service allowing you to change your address with multiple service providers and organizations all in one place. Not only this, but MovingWaldo also offers address change guides and address change checklists to help you organize your move.
*Currently only available in Canada
One of the last things to do before moving into the retirement home is to discover the neighborhood to familiarize yourself with the amenities nearby.
Locate these amenities when discovering the neighborhood:
Moving to a retirement home can be stressful, but only if you’re disorganized. By following all the tips listed above, your move will go smoothly and you’ll be happy to be in your new place. Take it easy and don’t overthink things. Read testimonials from seniors living at the home and talk to them if possible. While this will be a huge change, remember that it is for the best and in the long run you’ll be happier to be where you are.
