If you're thinking about the next chapter of your life, and downsizing or senior living is on the horizon, this month Suzanne covers all aspects of the process, starting from the beginning. In this episode, Sean Joseph, CEO of Jordan River Moving & Storage, joins Suzanne to talk about how to plan, what to take with you, and how to find trustworthy providers to help seniors with moving. It's a monumental step for someone who's lived in the same home for more than 50 years, and often an emotional turmoil to depart from that home.

Sean says, "Just last Friday, I went to a couple, I think they were 80 years old. They lived in the same house since 1970, and we're going through the items, and she needed to downsize. It was just difficult for her to go through the process. I was listening and I gave my opinion. And I listened to her, and she said, ' this is my china, this is important.' She had so much stuff, Suzanne, so much stuff. And I told her, you're downsizing to a new townhome, you have to make decisions. I mean, it's not easy. Get the family involved.  She was planning to give it to a family member, and that's a lot of things, but it's important for the family."

Suzanne adds, "It's also the emotional connection to the bricks and mortar of the home, because there's memories. One of the things I always tell families to do is write letters to the new owners, and leave them in different areas of the room. This was my room. This is what I remembered happening here. It's a way of continuing forward that memory, that whoever is going to take that home next to you is going to is going to honor that, they're going to realize that a life lived in that home."

Why Sean goes to your home to make an estimate, he explains, "First and foremost, it is a requirement, even if a lot of people doesn't want it. It's basic protection for the consumer. We want to go visually inspect the house. That's the only way of really doing an estimate. The video estimate it's good too, to deal with the technology, but the elderly are not as computer savvy with the phone and camera. And also, it's a trust issue. We have to visually see and explain, and for us, if we do the job, prepare, and tell them what needs to be done. The last thing we want is to come to a house unprepared, and cause stress to elderly people. You know, for them the movie is stressful no matter what. People coming to their home now, after so many years that they lived there and protected their items, precious things they accumulated during the years. And suddenly, strangers are coming in. We want to make them feel comfortable and build trust."

Learn more:

• Jordan River Moving & Storage on AFE
• Jordan River: Call 877-611-0808 or visit https://jordanrivermoving.com/

Hear more:

• Senior moving podcasts on AFE
• Moving to senior living podcasts on AFE

Answers for Elders is part of the Senior Resource Network. Check out our affiliate podcast: Alzheimer’s Speaks.

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