Moving from home into an assisted living community can feel stressful and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to. Here are seven things to consider when moving into the Glenview assisted living community.
How to Downsize Effectively
Consider having family and friends help with the process, ensuring that specialty items like family heirlooms and sentimental pieces go with you or to those who will appreciate them most. If this is still too burdensome, perhaps the services of an unbiased professional may be the most helpful for your specific circumstance. Working through the process of downsizing before it is an immediate need can often bring comfort in this transition, bringing peace of mind that all of your belongings are exactly where you want them to be.
Logistics for Moving
The help of friends and family will often suffice if the move is small and nearby. However, this is not always the case. There are many professional moving services available, some of which specialize in assisted living transitions.
There are also senior living moving specialists who can help plan the process from downsizing to planning out the future floor plan details to moving into the new community. This type of professional can save you the time and stress of planning out all of these small details on your own.
How Healthcare Needs Will Be Met
Depending on the distance of your move, you may need to consider finding a new primary care physician, specialist, or dentist that is nearby your new neighborhood. Similarly, ensuring there is a plan to pick up or deliver all necessary medications and medical supplies is also essential.
Most communities offer comfortable transportation services. This way, you can still get to appointments on time and without the hassle of navigating through traffic yourself.
Staying in Touch with Loved Ones
Don’t miss packages or holiday cards! Contacting family and friends to inform them of your move is an important step when moving anywhere. Filing an official change of address with the U.S. Postal Service is also a helpful way to make sure any mail straggling behind to your old address will be delivered to you after your move. Many assisted living communities offer concierge services to help you sort through hiccups in mail logistics, and send out mail or packages from your new home.
Another form of communication to consider is a telephone. Will you be bringing a cell phone? Do you have your contacts effectively stored for easy accessibility?
Answering these important questions will ensure that you are able to catch up with friends and family who live in town or even across the world.
Plan Details For End of Life Care
Paperwork for estate planning, a living will, DNR, and other end of life instructions are essential to make sure your wishes are fulfilled when you can no longer make those decisions. Although this is not a pleasant topic to consider, having these logistics planned and legal paperwork completed sooner than later can bring incredible peace of mind.
By ensuring that all of your loved ones are on the same page for your medical and personal wishes, you can save them the burden of making these big decisions later on and allow them honor your wishes with fidelity.
The Emotional Transition Into an Assisted Living Community
Change can be a difficult part of life. Leaving behind possessions, familiar routines, and neighbors can be an emotional adjustment at any point in life. Give yourself and your loved ones ample time to process these new changes so the next step is exciting instead of upsetting.
You may wish to connect with a counselor or spiritual guide as you manage these transitions. Many assisted living communities on Chicago’s North Shore partner with the surrounding community to provide the resources and support you need to handle these adjustments and build a thriving future in your new neighborhood.
The New Lifestyle of Assisted Living Communities
The activity calendar at Arbor Terrace Glenview is constantly packed with fresh, fun activities to suit the wide range of interests and hobbies of our residents. There are clubs, fitness classes, group outings, and much more! There is also an on-site movie theater, sports lounge, and beauty salon and spa.
Our goal is to help you create a luxurious, enriching lifestyle within a caring, deeply connected community. Our Glenview assisted living neighborhood is an ideal place to stay active, engaged, and fulfilled in retirement.
Now that you have contemplated these essential topics, you are ready for the next step. Read through our Complete Checklist for Moving to a Senior Living Community to make sure everything is ready for your move. Then, you can finalize your plans to join us at Arbor Terrace Glenview soon!
