Well, we did it; Mom has completed relocation to her new home here in Milbank and so far, so good. Here -are a few things I learned along the way:
-Making a move later in life is better done during good times than it would be during bad times. Having time to think things through facilitated a seamless transition which was less likely to happen under difficult conditions.
-Siblings, harmoniously working together for a greater good, are a beautiful thing. Between my two sisters who handled packing up on that end, followed by my brother getting her here and handling the sale of her house and Paul and I doing the prep work on this end, she is set to start a new more peaceful life with fewer worries.
-Moving into a home with all new fixtures and furnishings along with all the stuff needed for daily living makes for a great environment; almost feels like living in a nice hotel and I got to play HGTV designer.
-Amazon Prime was a better friend than ever. There is no need to worry about forgotten much needed items; just a few clicks a day and the arrivals keep coming.
-It’s never too late to make new friends which she is slowly doing in her new digs. Between new neighbors and facility staff, she is getting acquainted with new folks and re-acquainted with familiar family names/faces even if they are a few generations removed. I believe a more active social environment will improve her sense of well-being.
-I like to cook but enjoy Paul doing most of the cooking at our house. She will also enjoy no menu making decisions, preparing grocery lists, shopping, cooking, serving or cleaning up; what a luxury, right? The only complaint I have heard is that the food is so good the residents are all gaining weight. I think mom’s nutritional health will be much better now than it was when she was living alone. It helps that we are keeping her freezer stocked with ice cream.
-She will be continually stimulated by all the facility activities including craft making, card playing, fixing puzzles, group prayer, spa days, movie nights, happy hour, birthday parties and the list goes on. Next thing we know, she will be getting on a bus headed to parts unknown.
-You learn a lot more about a person when you help them relocate; their likes, dislikes, preferences and daily living habits. Unfortunately, you can run but you can’t hide from your own bad habits and her paper piling has already started.
-Change is hard but usually worth it; now she just needs to find the Jeopardy station and learn how to use her new TV remote. I don’t think her cell phone challenges will improve but she has more people around to help her get out of her phone snares.
-Now we will see how my siblings and I do making more frequent visits back to Milbank to visit her. I want to return during the winter months to try ice fishing although I will be coming alone as Paul is not up for our winter weather which I haven’t experienced myself in 45 years. Yikes!
–