Senior Resources 2023-24 Housing Guide

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T HE K EYS TOA S UccESSfUL M OvE where the furniture will be placed, as well as help plan for universal design if needed. Secondly, separate the items for family and friends. This can be a very emotional and difficult step, but can also be very rewarding as you decide which one of your family members or friends would treasure one of these items. Thirdly, separate through items that could possibly have value for an Estate Sale, Consignment or Resale Shop. Fourthly, decide on items that could be donated to a charity of your choice. Some moving companies may provide the service of delivering them to the charity for you. Lastly, make sure that your moving company has the name of a family member or close family friend that is assisting you throughout this entire transition. This person may be needed to be a liaison between the moving company, the facility and the family. They will be happy to coordinate the timelines with them so you have the reassur ance needed that you are making the right decisions. COORDINATION IS KEY: Now that you have a plan of action in place, you then need to coordinate all the dates and deadlines into a master schedule. Some moving companies that specialize in moving seniors even provide you with a Senior Move Manager that will help with all of these details. This type of specialist provides professional help with every aspect of downsizing, organizing, sorting, packing, unpacking and the timelines associated with them. Some companies even offer help with planning Estate Sales and have staff that are professionally trained to know the resale value of your items. Some firms also help clean up your home after you move out . When a company is a member of The National Association of Senior Move Managers,

this is a sign of their dedication and commitment to coordinating all aspects of senior moving. TURNKEY MOVING: Choose a mov ing company that is sensitive to your needs and allows you to customize their services to meet those needs. If per haps you do not have immediate family or friends to assist you, most senior moving companies provide a turnkey moving experience, which can be reas suring to out of town family members. Once your action plan is in place, your senior move manager will be able to make everything happen for you in a timely fashion. A company that special izes in Senior Moving and Transportation can help you make all the right decisions on how to downsize, making your transition into a retirement community a huge success. KEYS OF HAPPINESS: You will now have the time to enjoy all the amenities that your senior living community has to offer. Congratulate yourself for taking the time to properly plan and execute a plan that will make your retirement years an enjoyable experience. Downsizing has removed some of the clutter in your life, and gives you more time to enjoy day trips and outings with other friends in your new community. Don’t forget to pack your gifts of time and talents to bring along to the com munity. You are now are walking up to the front door of your new home, turn the key and find a new life waiting for you! The focus of Universal Services is to provide you with a turnkey moving experience. Our mission is patterned after the Golden Rule. “We treat every senior that we work with as if they were our relative, and value their per sonal property as if it was our own.” Simply put, “We’re in the Helping Business!” Providing service since 1996! ©Article Submitted by Migdalia Zanon Universal Services –Senior Moving Specialist

hroughout life, most of us have accumulated a huge ring of keys that have opened the doors of everything we have owned or cherished in life. If you are like most people, perhaps we don’t even remember what all those keys open up anymore. The thought of moving into a Senior Living Community might present to you the perfect key for retirement living, but the process of moving is still a huge undertaking. As a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers, we understand the emotional and physical considera tions that seniors face when planning to move into a Senior Living Community. Members of this association provide seniors with a specialized service to that can be tailored to fits their needs. As you consider all of the options and amenities that Senior Living Communities have to offer, remember to take the time to also explore the process of downsizing and moving itself. A company specializing in Senior Moving can help you develop an overall timeline that will pinpoint some key dates that will help the moving process go very smoothly. You start this process with a “Downsizing and Moving Consultation”. Some companies may charge for this service, so ask before you invite them out to your home. This survey will generally last about an hour and should help you formulate a plan that will help you with your downsizing and moving needs. Working with a company that specializes in senior moving and trans portation will help build a trusting rela tionship that will ensure a successful move. THE KEY TO PROPER PLANNING: Planning is the key to a successful move. The Move- In Coordinator at the Community Living Center will provide you with a floor plan to assist your mov ing company with the space planning for your furniture. A company specializing in Senior Moving will then assign a Senior Move Manager to help guide you through all the key elements of downsiz ing, organizing, packing and space plan ning. The furniture space plan will help give you a visual perspective of

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