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	Organization for Seniors

	by Stan Lawson

After a lifetime of living in one location, items can accumulate, leaving the family home packed tight with items from the lives of many people. Seniors may find themselves overwhelmed with all the memories and souvenirs in their homes. This is especially true when the time comes for them to move. Perhaps they have chosen to move to an assisted living facility or they are moving in with a family member. Maybe they have not reached this point yet, but they want to make their personal surroundings more inviting. If they are now living in an “empty nest,” it may be time for them to let go of some things from the past and enjoy their homes as all their own.

If you are a senior and you need assistance sorting through a lifetime of household goods, you can call on the services of a companion caregiver like Seniors should insist their adult children do their part in sorting through the family home. Then you can move on to the task of organizing your belongings, and creating a safe, happy home.

Not A Storage Facility

The first step to an organized home is not allowing your home to act as a storage facility for the entire family. Just because people grew up in the home they are now living in does not mean it is acceptable to leave clutter and store childhood mementos forever. At some point, adult children are going to need to sort through the items and take responsibilities for their belongings. If parents just let items build over the years without teaching their children to sort and replace, they should accept some responsibility for the mountain of toys or boxes or school assignments that are filling the attic or basement. However, the sooner these things are examined and assigned new homes, the better the quality of life a senior can enjoy.

Important Papers

Once a senior has the family storing area under control, he needs to conquer his own personal stash. Ensure all important documents are in order, stored together, and easy to find. As hard as it may be to admit, family members may need to find this information on short notice. The better and more sensibly organized it is, the less stressful the search will be during an already difficult time. If you have a desk or filing cabinet jammed with all sorts of loose papers, take an afternoon to sort through it. Let a family member know where things are once you have sorted and organized them

Safety First

It is also important to get the general clutter in the home under control. As you age, it can be more difficult to navigate even the most familiar areas of your life. The last thing a senior wants is to trip and fall during a routine trip across his living room or bedroom. Make sure there are clear walkways throughout the home. Also examine shelves and closets to make sure boxes and objects are not stacked high enough to collapse. A simple head injury could have serious effects for a senior. There is no sense in inviting setbacks to your health when you have enough to worry about.

Organizing and cleaning your home should provide you with a sense of pride. Since a lot of your time will be spent in your home during your retirement and golden years, it is important this area be comfortable and inviting. This is especially true if you are choosing between your own home and an assisted living facility. If you and your loved ones are considering moving to another location, but you would rather remain in your own home, keeping it tidy and clean is a persuasive argument. Seniors who neglect their homes are more likely to prompt their loved ones to think they cannot handle the responsibilities of home ownership. This is not to say your home must be sparkling clean at all times. However, you should be able to keep up with daily chores with relative ease, or be willing to accept the assistance of an in-home caregiver.

Conclusion

A clean home is an important part of a physically and mentally healthy life. If you are challenged by the responsibility of keeping your home in good order, consider Sequoia Senior Solutions to help you maintain a pleasant, organized home. In addition to hospice caregiving, transportation, and help with household chores, these caregivers can assist you with organizing your life and your home.

Co-Owner and CFO of Sequoia Senior Solutions, Stan Lawson, has over 20 years experience in international environments as a financial executive. He began his career with Olivetti in Italy where he managed the finance and accounting functions of several U.S. and Italian operating divisions. He later served as director of Finance for Jackson Publishing Group in Milan and director of Finance for Francesco Cinzano in Turin. He returned to the United States in 1994 to manage his family's resort in Dillon Beach and later joined Autodesk as finance manager, Worldwide Information Systems Division. Most recently, Stan was senior vice president and CFO of DBS Industries, Inc. in Mill Valley. Stan currently serves as Trustee on, and is a past president of the Community Health Foundation of Greater Petaluma and treasurer of the board for the Santa Rosa Concert Association. Stan holds a BA in Business Economics and Italian Literature from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Sequoia Senior Solutions (888) 646-2432 191 Lynch Creek Way Suite 102 Petaluma, CA 94954 sequoiaseniorsolution.com

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