One sweet elderly lady was almost in tears when she sold her long-term family home. They were tears of joy. For years she carefully tended to hundreds of beautiful flowers. But the situation has changed recently. What was once a pleasurable hobby was now a difficult task. “The arthritis in my hands hurt so bad pulling weeds anymore!”
Many homeowners enjoy working in their gardens or raising beautiful flowers in their backyards. Some enjoy mowing the yard or even claim to like shoveling the snow. But more often than not, my clients confess that the day they sell that snow blower is a very happy day.
Experience has shown that most, if not all, senior citizens reach a point where they would very much like to trade their lawnmower and snow shovels for something more enjoyable. It seems it is all a matter of when. Their motivation might be a health issue, the loss of a spouse, or maybe it’s just time.
A wide variety of alternative living situations await seniors today. Downsizing to a smaller townhome or condo that provides lawn care and snow removal is very popular. Many offer amenities such as club houses, swimming pools, golf, social groups and other activities. Depending on the need, independent or assisted living facilities offer various levels of service and care.
One client summed up the transition from the old family home to her comfortable condominium as “choosing fun over work”.
