Many ask us what is a “Health First” Real Estate Agent? The short answer is real estate agents who focus on senior living transitions and relocation. At Your Next Steps we consider it so much more!
We are a health first initiative that uses real estate as a tool to achieve our client’s physiological and psychological needs. Personally, I’m sick of seeing people cheat themselves out of some of their most precious years of life because no one offered them a solution to their problems…no one even knew there was a problem (except for the at risk person).
Let’s face it, seniors are neglected far too often. They’ve lived lives where they were self sufficient for so long that asking for assistance now makes them feel embarrassed. Having chosen pride over acceptance that their bodies have changed; their ability to manage a home diminishes and they stay silent about it.
Isolation is the Number One Risk for Seniors Who Live Alone
According to the publication “A Review of Social Isolation” by Nicholas R. Nicholson states that as many as 43% of seniors living alone experience isolation. When a senior is isolated they’re at risk for an assortment of health issues and physical risks. If they’re home alone for long periods of time with no one to speak to, their mind may wander and dementia sets in. If they fall down there’s noone there to help them up or bring them to the hospital. “They’ve been living amongst people their entire lives, why would being alone now at such a vulnerable state be a good idea, I shake my head at this constantly” – Kate states.
Retirement communities and homes aren’t the first choice for many seniors, staying in their home for as long as they can is. They are afraid of what the other options look like – what they don’t know is that in most cases the grass IS greener on the other side.
“In almost every case I have, the senior is better taken care of and has a higher quality of life once they’ve been moved from a home they could no longer care for” sites Kate Whitehead, an occupational therapist (OT) specializing in Seniors home care therapy. “They’re so much happier, it’s as if they’ve come to life again” Kate adds.
Do you have a parent or grandparent that has gotten much thinner? Let their garden grow over? Can no longer goes upstairs? Sleeps on the couch? Doesn’t change out of their pajamas? Do any of your senior relatives seem much more quiet than they use to be? Do they seem paranoid?
We aren’t saying “put mom in a home” we are saying, “let’s look for another option if this one isn’t working”. Many of our clients come to us with the same concern…we don’t have the time and the money to deal with what our mom or dad’s next steps are. It’s a sad reality to face, but it is a real one.
Your Next Steps does just that, we offer a simple full service approach to your problems – which are time and money problems. Our no upfront costs and virtually no time required from family members is exactly what most people need to get the ball rolling.
Take this for example: You and your family live in Hamilton and mom still lives in Toronto or North York. You have a full time job and three children and not a minute mentally or physically to spare on thinking about moving your mom or dad closer to you. Your parent lives in a three bedroom wartime bungalow and doesn’t see people much anymore. Their basement is FULL of old newspapers, trinkets, clothes they can no longer can fit in, old tvs, boxes of dishware she will never use again. You think “it’s going to take me months to clean out that house, it’s going to cost for garbage disposal, I have to find who to donate or sell the valuable items to, which real estate company has my parent’s best interest at heart”. You become so overwhelmed that you do nothing instead.
You’ve heard of “home care” before, but you’re not quite sure if your parent is a candidate, you’re not sure what that entails and how much it costs. You think it might be covered but you’re not sure what the process to apply is.
Your Next Steps Inc. will take care of the initial home care assessments in their new place of residence and in many situations we can provide your parent/loved one with the proper equipment to assist with their aging bodies. Again, we do this without a cost to you and without having to wait for an appointment time from a government regulated agency.
So it’s important for me to ask you. What’s holding you back from making the decision to take the next steps towards a better life for your loved one when both cost and time obligations have eased or eliminated?
If you knew your parent would live a better life somewhere else, you could have their entire home cleaned and packed up, sold AND they’d receive occupational health care with absolutely no cost or time commitment from family members – would you take the Next Steps? If so, please contact us and setup your complimentary consultation at 416-639-9918.
