Ideas
and Options for Retirement Living in Niagara
The Motivation to
Move:
Most people over 65 do not want to
move again. Those who are fairly active and healthy have the
freedom of staying
right where they are. Life is good and retirement is 18
holes of golf in the morning and trips to Florida in the
winter. The house still works for them and moving is not
on the horizon and if it is, the move is made to create even
more freedom.
This group also has
the choice to move, if they wish to a retirement community
that offers independent living - ranging from so-called adult
lifestyle
communities to condominiums that
are favoured by the
same generation. Many want do other things than
maintaining their property. They want to travel, be
closer to the kids, be warmer, or just have a new adventure.
However, for some seniors
circumstances make it
unwise or even difficult for an individual or a couple to
remain alone at home without help. Freedom is not the issue,
managing is. For example, the ability of a spouse to
cope may lessen when illness occurs. A spouse who
heretofore was a dependent may have to become a
caregiver.
Inside the home, which from the outside seems as
normal as before, a quiet struggle is going on. There is
reluctance to admit the true situation. Still the person
or couple struggle on with friends and
family willing to help in an emergency. And then there
is the feeling of guilt and even shame in relying on others.
For most seniors, being a burden to others is unthinkable.
(Our argument is "this is why you had children in the
first place!")
For
some, there
is no other choice other than to consider living in a less
difficult environment. Whenever the decision is
made, early when you sense the need, or much later after years
of struggle, the key to a successful
transition is to not continue to put of a move by seeing it as a negative
experience. Those who recognize that life has stages on which
we live out our days, the ones who know they are not 'Peter
Pan' and do have to grow up and grow old, find peace and joy in each new
experience. If that means a new form of house, so be
it. To admit that change is normal means the likelihood
of a better experience and a less stressful life.
Getting
the right new housing is a challenge.
However,
not every senior or new retiree needs the same form of
shelter. Very few need long term care, such as a nursing home.
Some may need assisted care facilities to care for growing
disability but where the resident still has a great deal of
independence.
Most need little or no care now, but can see the day
when more care will be necessary. Many of these folks choose retirement communities. The
aging process is a continuum from independence to need. This means the right kind of housing today may
not be right tomorrow. The important thing is to make sure of your options
and to anticipate the future. Whatever one does, being able to stay comfortably to "age in place" where you live now is ideal. Hopefully
you will find help in this section of SeniorShelter in finding
the right answers for you at this time of your life.
This page provides links to sources of information. Seniors
issues are really big on the web. Look to the link page for help in finding the right kind
of shelter.
