Most seniors want to stay in their homes as they age. Moving comes with both physical and emotional stress, and many seniors are afraid of leaving behind beloved neighbors and a family home full of memories. Add the fear of the unknown to those concerns and a move to senior living can be downright overwhelming. However, the truth is that for many seniors living at home alone can be unhealthy and even dangerous.
Learn more about why seniors want to stay in their homes and how a move to senior living can help improve quality of life, even for seniors who are reluctant to move at first.
1. THE PHYSICAL STRESS OF MOVING
For many seniors, moving out of a family home means sorting through decades of keepsakes and possessions. Even if families hire a moving service, friends and family will still need to go through these items and arrange for an estate sale or storage options.
2. THE FEAR OF LOSING INDEPENDENCE
It’s a common misconception that moving to senior living means a loss of independence. Today’s senior living communities have evolved from care facilities to places that encourage and empower residents, but it can be hard to change existing perceptions.
3. ANXIETY OVER LEAVING A COMMUNITY
A move to senior living may mean changing decades-old routines, and some seniors may worry that a move will further isolate them from friendships that have lasted their entire life.
4. EMOTIONAL TIES TO THE FAMILY HOME
A house is just a house, but a home is something to be cherished. Leaving a physical structure that has encapsulated decades worth of memories and is the backdrop to family holidays and reunions can be emotional.
5. THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN
More than anything else, the fear of the unknown can keep seniors in their homes and often in an unsafe environment. Seniors just don’t know if a move to senior living will be worth the physical and emotional stress of it all. They worry about losing valuable relationships and feeling left out of future family functions and friendly gatherings.
