Steps You Can Take to Help Your Widowed Parent Choose Their New Forever Home

Seniors often move as a way to save money, enjoy more security, or to be closer to their adult children (or, more accurately, their grandchildren). Unfortunately, many seniors, and especially women, find themselves moving in their senior years after the loss of their spouse. During this tumultuous time, they might ask for help, and today’s tips can help you do so without taking away their autonomy or sense of purpose.

What Seniors Need

Living independently may be a frightening prospect for women or men who have lived with their partner for decades. Here are a few things your senior may need to be happy, healthy, and safe in their new home:

• Single-level living. A single-level home eliminates the need for a staircase, which can pose a significant falling risk for seniors. They are also more energy-efficient, faster to escape in case of an emergency, and easier to clean.
• An updated bathroom and kitchen. After a steep staircase, the bathroom and kitchen are the most dangerous areas in a home for a senior, particularly one with mobility, stability, balance, or vision problems. Rose Building Contractorscan help with a beautiful new kitchen or bathroom with wider doorways, senior-friendly flooring, and arthritis-friendly fixtures.
• Home insurance and other financial protections. Although your mom or dad probably had insurance on the home they already owned, now’s a great chance to get a new quote and help them with finding the best rates. Their insurance company will want to know the age of the home, whether they have pets, and the address to give a more accurate estimate. Keep in mind that no two insurers are the same, and you will want to compare coverage, benefits, costs, and swiftness of settling claims before choosing a company.
• Access to smart technology. While smart technology might be a bit intimidating for some, many seniors find that smart appliances, speakers, thermostats, and other devices offer more freedom. The Tech-Enhanced Life blog explains that technology can also help your loved one stay in touch with friendsand family, which is an important step in combating loneliness.
• Transportation services. If you don’t live close enough to your parent to get them to the grocery store, doctor’s appointments, or other locations outside the home (or if you work full time and cannot always be available), make sure that their home is serviced by a senior transportation provider. Depending on which county they live in, they may have access to free or low-cost publictransportation. Other options include GoGoGrandparent, Lyft, and iTNAmerica. 
• Opportunities for social interactions. Smart technology can help your aging parent with loneliness, but they also need in-person interactions. Help your loved one look for a home in an area with an active social scene. Ideally, your widowed parent can move into a 55+ community, where they can meet and mingle with others their age. Aging With Freedomnotes that the average age of a person in a senior-oriented community is 71.3 years.
• Time with their family. Another important way that you can help your widowed parent is to ensure that you, your children, and any nearby siblings make a point to prioritize time together. Even if they have an active social life, nothing can replace the memories that you and they will make together.

Losing a spouse is a devastating life event. Your aging parent will likely need a helping hand, and the moving process is one area where you can take some control to ease the burden. From researching affordable home insurance rates to pointing them in the direction of a single-story home in a 55+ community, your gentle guidance may be exactly what your loved one needs to move forward after loss.

If you’re looking for a custom home, full renovation, or lifestyle remodel, call Rose Building Contractors today at 727.596.2390.

Image used: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cheerful-senior-mother-and-adult-daughter-using-smartphone-together-3791664/