Helping Your Loved One Downsize Before Moving to an Assisted Living Facility

Downsizing personal belongings is one of the big tasks that must be done when you’re moving your loved one into a memory care facility in Austin. For many families and individuals living with dementia, this process can be overwhelming. Many seniors have entire rooms filled with belongings they’ve accumulated throughout their lives, and they are often reluctant to let them go.

From furniture, to wall hangings and memorabilia, dementia care homes in Austin will not usually be able to accommodate all the belongings a resident may have kept in his home. If you’re having trouble deciding what should stay and what should go before moving your loved one into dementia assisted living in Austin, consider these tips.

Start with the Least Sentimental Items

You’ll usually be able to tell which items your loved one holds near and dear, and which are just taking up space. To make the process easier, save the sentimental items for last. Moving to a memory care facility in Austin is already a significant change. If you start with what’s least important, your loved one will already be used to letting things go by the time you get to the items that hold an emotional connection.

Don’t Let Your Emotions Get in the Way

As you’re going through your loved one’s belongings, you might feel some attachment to items that have been around since you were young. However try to process your emotions at a time when you are away from your loved one, as this can make the downsizing process more difficult for your relative moving to one of the dementia care homes in Austin.

If something has no real value to the resident but holds emotional value for you, ask permission to keep the item. This way, you’ll save space in their new living quarters while still keeping the things you can’t let go of.

Let Them Keep What They Want, Within Reason

Those getting ready to move into dementia assisted living in Austin are likely already feeling emotionally fragile. Don’t complicate the transition even further by forcing your loved one to get rid of too many possessions. If there are things you know they won’t need, but they just can’t seem to get rid of, offer to store them if you’re able.

When downsizing your loved one’s belongings, remember to be kind and sensitive. This is a big change for the resident, and you want to make sure they’re comfortable in their new home.