Transitioning to senior living in Kansas can be an exciting time in retirement. It’s a chance to throw away all the old responsibilities like cooking and housekeeping and enjoy some of the more fun things in life.
However, as with any change, there is also a moment where you’ll be saying goodbye to the lifestlye you knew. That can sometimes conjure some mixed feelings and apprehension.
Read on for our top senior living tips and learn how to ease the transition to The Welstone, Mission, KS.
Moving to Senior Living in Kansas: Schedule a Visit to Our Community
Transitioning to a new home and lifestyle is easier if you visualize living there. So help yourself build that vision by scheduling a visit that includes a comprehensive tour. Check out things like:
- The private residence, including interior design, room size, and apartment layout
- The communal dining room
- Social activities on offer
- The outdoor space
- Communal areas like the lounge and library
- Health and fitness equipment and classes
- Services such as housekeeping
The best thing about arranging a tour is that you get to ask all your pressing questions to the friendly staff. That can help alleviate any remaining concerns and worries, and it’s an opportunity to build a rapport with the care team.
Senior Living Advice: Reach Out to Family and Friends
There are practical elements to transitioning, but also an emotional component. That’s why it is vital you reach out to family and friends for emotional support.
Speak to your most trusted loved ones and let them know your feelings and concerns about the move. With a friendly face to speak to about your worries, you’ll find the entire process smoother and more stress-free, helping to ease your anxiety.
Family and friends are also a great source of support for practical aspects of your move, like how to sort and pack your belongings. They may be able to help you by taking tricky tasks off your hands, like contacting companies to notify them of a change of address.
Organise Your Belongings
Most of us have a clear-out before we move house, and transitioning into a senior living community will be no different. But it’s good to start this process early for a few reasons:
- It eases the emotional burden of going through old memories
- It gives you time to find new homes for belongings you won’t take with you
- It makes the final moving week less stressful
Be ruthless about decluttering and clearing as you go.
If there are clothes you haven’t worn in years, do you really need to take them with you, or is it better to give them to charity? If you have treasured family antiques, could you pass them on to a loved one for safekeeping?
Think about using selling platforms for some of your more expensive items. It’s a good way to get some extra cash together.
Plan a Stimulating and Social Daily Routine
Fill your day in your new community with lots of fun, friendly, and enriching activities. It can make the transition feel easier. It also gives you ample opportunity to meet people and make friends in your new home.
Before you move in, buy a journal and note some activities you’d like to try and hobbies and skills that interest you.
The community will have an activities calendar that you can use as your starting point. But don’t forget about other small routines that might be important.
That might include scheduling a daily call with a loved one or using your retirement time to work your way through that extensive list of novels that’s been on your reading list for years.
Create a More Personal Living Space
Think of your new living quarters as a blank canvas. All apartments are designed with tasteful decor but with enough scope to make the interior your own, so make the most of this.
Add family photos and decorative touches like cushions and throws to create a more homely feel.
When you first move in, make sure you pack your most treasured and important possessions in a separate box so that you can unpack them right away and get them set up in your new living space.
Sign up for Community Outings
Once you move into our community, you have the chance to sign up for group outings. That is a fantastic opportunity to meet people and embrace all the best aspects of retirement. Outings might include things like:
- A shopping trip
- A group visit to a local restaurant
- A local cultural event like a festival
- A theatre visit or music concert
- Outdoor exercise like hiking
You’ll be more inclined to sign up for activities that match your interests. But you should also be bold and expand your horizons.
Trying a new activity and feeling the sense of accomplishment that follows is a fantastic feeling and will make you feel more at ease with your new lifestyle when transitioning from your old one. It will also boost your health and well-being.
Remember: Transitioning to Senior Living Takes Time
It’s normal for any transition to take time, and it never happens overnight. So keep this in mind and be conscious that you will have days where you may feel anxious or nervous about the move.
Remember to reach out for support from friends and family, as well as the friendly staff in your new community. It’s a good idea to mark some milestones with small celebrations, like a family dinner.
Embrace the changes you are making and reflect on any accomplishments you have made since your move, whether learning a new skill, trying an exercise routine, or making friends.
Senior Living in Kansas: An Exciting Lifestyle Awaits
This Kansas senior living guide illustrates the importance of embracing your new life. Senior living in Kansas can be rewarding and exciting, but it means taking a step outside your comfort zone and embracing the lifestyle and activities on offer.
At The Welstone at Mission Crossing, we’ve designed our community to allow you to live your best life in retirement. Take the first step in transitioning to senior living by visiting our community.
