“Home is where the heart is,” says the old maxim, and that’s certainly true for many older adults. It’s where they’ve been living for decades. It’s where they’ve spent their days raising children and watching grandchildren grow. Deeply familiar with every nook and cranny, many can almost navigate their homes blindfolded.
Unfortunately, as they age, some seniors have to leave their homes — and the coming flood of baby boomers will make the issue of seniors and residential transitions all the more salient. For some, a move is only a temporary situation while they recover in hospitals and nursing facilities. Others move from their homes into care facilities permanently, and some move in with relatives. No matter what the time frame or reason, for many, leaving home is traumatic.
How well a senior handles any of these moves is governed by the individual and a host of such variables as:
- His mental and physical status
- The reason for moving
- His involvement in the move
- His level of attachment to his current home
- The amount of pre-move preparation time he has
- The quality of move planning and how well it is implemented
- The level of effort put toward ensuring that he’s comfortable in his new home
- The quality and features of the neighborhood
- His level of (and access to) community support
- His access to doctors, stores, and services