A New York Times blog post today focused on the topic of "downsizing" as part of a story based on The Downsize Challenge, which tracks the history of one woman's efforts to pare down her 96 year old grandfather's stuff ahead of moving him back to the family home in New Hampshire.
We've touched on the subject before in the context of discussing and planning for a senior family member's move to assisted living. The details of the planning involve many things, not the least of which is the question of what possessions to bring along, and the flip-side of that equation means figuring out what to do with all the stuff not coming along.
Jana Legan, Marketing Director for Provision Living's GreenTree community at Kokomo, Indiana, points out that the emphasis should be on bringing along the most meaningful items that will make a resident's suite feel like home, and connect back to warm memories and past experiences.
She says, particularly in the case of residents needing memory care, the possessions they bring can trigger recollections of important experiences and assist with the treatment of any impairment.
"I recall a resident who had worked as a pilot, and had a lot of memories of airplanes and flying. His family brought along several framed articles on his flying career, model airplanes he'd built and other memorabilia related to his being a pilot, and it did a great job of bringing back his memories," said Legan.
Building a picture of the past takes time and consideration, and while some items might be obvious, others may come as a surprise, or may not even be items at all, but rather smells.
An article on the connection between scents and memory care offers this tip: "Know your loved one's favorites? (Hint: Look in dusty bottles on the dressing table or in a medicine cabinet.) Spray a little Old Spice or White Shoulders in the air or on a wrist. Older women may favor dusting powder."
The article goes on to say that ex-teachers may find the smell of chalk triggers vital memories.
All of these suggestions add weight to the process of sifting through old possessions in an effort to determine not only what is important, or obviously worth saving and taking along, but what might serve to connect an elderly family member back to his or her past.
What Do You Think?
Have you been involved in packing up items to bring along with a family member moving into assisted living? Please share your tips, or thoughts in our comments section.
(Image Courtesy of Hussain_Quantum on Flickr)
