Remodel or Relocate?

When Steve and Joanna bought their family home thirty-five years ago, their plan was to live there all through their retirement years. Joanna recently broke her hip. Now with her return from the hospital in a wheelchair, Steve is facing the overwhelming task of making their home accessible for her wheelchair and safe for both of them.

Remodeling for wheelchair access and reorganizing furniture and belongings is a huge task that many senior home owners face. Sometimes the need to do so is brought on by injury or age-related illness. Home and yard maintenance is difficult for even the healthiest of seniors, requiring them to decide whether to stay or make a downsizing decision.

If you, like Steve and Joanna, are trying to decide whether or not to stay in your home, what can you do to make it work in this type of situation?

• Think about hiring a Professional Organizer. Relocating furniture, and removing hazards such as electrical cords and throw rugs are some of the ways they make a home more senior friendly. Professional Organizers can help find or create a convenient, easy-to-reach place for everything. Professional Organizers can also help you part with clutter or items that have no use; this makes rooms less crowded and therefore less of a trip hazard. You can find a directory of Certified Professional Organizers (CPO) by visiting the website http://www.certifiedprofessionalorganizers.org.
• Find an Aging in Place Specialist to make your home accessible. These building specialists offer help with tasks such as adding wheelchair ramps, widening doorways, making bathrooms more accessible with hand rails, walk-in bath facilities, and easier access to toilets. You can find a directory of Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) by visiting the website of the certifying organization – the National Association of Home Builders, at http://www.nahb.org.

Sometimes remodeling isn’t enough and a move is required.  A Senior Move Manager can assess and identify items to keep, arrange for auction or other disposal, clean the home, move the belongings, and set up the new residence. The Senior Move Manager may also work closely with a real estate agent to arrange for the sale of the home and may also be involved in the financial transactions necessary to move into a new living arrangement.  You can find a directory of http://www.nasmm.org/ by visiting the website of NASMM – the National Association of Senior Move Managers.

All the help available to seniors may in itself be overwhelming. How do seniors choose the right service provider for their needs? If you live in Northern Virginia, be sure to check out the Trusted Referrals listed on The Fairfax Elder Law Firm of Evan H. Farr, P.C. website. 

Now that the house is accessible or the family has downsized to a smaller residence, what would happen if nursing home care is needed? Nursing homes in Northern Virginia cost $12,000 - $15,000 per month. Life Care Planning and Medicaid Asset Protection is the process of protecting you from having to go broke to pay for nursing home care, while also helping ensure that you get the best possible care and maintain the highest possible quality of life, whether at home, in an assisted living facility, or in a nursing home. Learn more at The Fairfax Elder Law Firm of Evan H. Farr, P.C. website. Call 703-691-1888 to make an appointment for a no-cost consultation.

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