“Have been talking with my aunt and she says she is looking forward to moving. Again, thank you for everything you are doing to help us find a good placement for our aunt.”
– D. Mellor
Niece of a Senior
“You made things so much easier for me. I was lost and upset. Moving made me sad but I’m satisfied at my new residence. Everything went so smooth, thanks to yourself.”
– B. Ramsden
Senior
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving
When is the right time to move to a residence?
This whole process is so hard and overwhelming. Where do I start?
Selling the house
Sell the house first or find a residence first?
Retirement residences
Private or public residences: What is the difference?
What should we consider first when we start thinking about a retirement residence?
Can Mom bring her beloved cat?
Are there places where a short term stay is available?
My Dad feels he will lose his autonomy if he moves to a residence. Is he right?
What types of services are found or offered in residences?
Is there flexibility in the services residences offer?
Helping Seniors’ services
How long can the whole process of finding a residence take?
How quickly can Helping Seniors begin assisting us?
How to talk to parents about moving and understanding some lingo
How should I talk to my parents about moving to a residence?
Mom is now at the hospital, she may not be able to go back home. What next?
What do they mean by “He is deemed at 1.5 hours of care?”
Moving
When is the right time to move to a residence?
Do you feel safe at home? Are you becoming scared of going out? On a daily basis, are your everyday tasks getting harder or not getting done at all? There is an ideal window of opportunity that is the best time to relocate–when one has enough energy and when things are not too overwhelming. Once that window passes it simply gets more difficult and more overwhelming.
This whole process is so hard and overwhelming. Where do I start?
Think of it as walking across a room–take it one step at a time. Try not to get overwhelmed by throwing everything into to the whole picture. Write down the big steps on paper then break them down. Prioritize them and then cross them off as you go along.
What about downsizing?
Go one step at a time. First and foremost, determine where you will be moving to. Once you have a floor plan in hand, measure furniture to scale and see what fits. Remember that less is more! You do not want an over crowded place. Helping Seniors does assist by creating a floor plan and helps determine what to move.
Should there be things to sell, give or throw out, Helping Seniors can help by referring professionals that can assist you.
Selling the house
Sell the house first or find a residence first?
It’s wiser to research residences first to have an idea of where you will be moving. This will alleviate a lot of stress, too. Then put the house on the market.
Who can help sell the house?
Helping Seniors can assist. We want to make sure the paperwork to be signed is clearly explained to you and that your timeframe is respected.
Retirement residences
Private or public residences: What is the difference?
To have access to public residences, one must work with a social worker at the local CSSS or hospital. Public facilities are subsidized by the government, and one can expect a private or a semi-private (shared) room in these facilities.
Private facilities offer a variety of living spaces (from semi-private rooms to 4 1/2 apartments). Services found within these residences range from fully autonomous to full care. These facilities are not subsidized.
What should we consider first when we start thinking about a retirement residence?
First, sit down and determine what you want and what your needs are. Do you need meals provided? An on-site nurse? What about the living space–how big would you like it? What is your budget? Do a complete overview of the situation. Once the overview is done you are ready to start researching to see what would be appropriate. Remember there are many residences out there, they are all very similar and at the same time all very different. You’ll see that once you start. (Click here for our free guide to help you)
Can Mom bring her beloved cat?
Not all residence allow pets. If your parent would like their pet to accompany them to the new residence, be sure to ask if pets are allowed when you first contact or visit the residence.
What about waiting lists?
The usual rule of thumb is the larger the apartment, the longer the waiting list. Though on one given day, we visited five residences and all of them had apartments available. So you never know.
Are there places where a short term stay is available?
Yes. Some residences offer short term stays, either respite (family going away on vacation but do not want to leave Mom alone during their absence), or convalescence (after a hospital stay, to help the person regain strength before they go back home).
My Dad feels he will lose his autonomy if he moves to a residence. Is he right?
No. Retirement residences basically move the community closer to your Dad. They also encourage him to be as autonomous as possible. When he is in his apartment he can come and go as he pleases–it is his place. (The exception being if he needs supervision for his safety.)
What types of services are found or offered in residences?
Residences where assistance is provided offer these types of services: personal care services such as the distribution of medication, bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, laundry, accompaniment to the dining room and so on. Other services such as bank, hairdresser, nail care, activity room, convenience store, library, computer corner are often found within the residences.
Is there flexibility in the services residences offer?
Different residences go about it in different ways when it comes to offering services. Some offer ’package deals’ where all the services are included as soon as you move in. Others offer ’à la carte’ services where you add or remove services as needed.
Helping Seniors’ services
How long can the whole process of finding a residence take?
It is all about your timeframe. If there is a rush, we rush. If there is no rush then we go at a speed that is convenient for all involved. You are in control of how long the process of finding a residence and moving will take. We do our best to lighten your load along the way by handling all the legwork for you.
How quickly can Helping Seniors begin assisting us?
Your timeframe is our timeframe. We have found a residence as quickly as in half a day (yes that included the visits, and the client called that same morning), yet another situation took two years because the client was on the fence about moving.
How to talk to parents about moving and understanding some lingo
How should I talk to my parents about moving to a residence?
First, understand that this is a very hard move and often hard to accept. The best way to discuss it is to avoid heated discussions. Often your parents do not see their own situation as they are too close to it. Invite a professional to discuss the situation at hand with you. This will provide an objective point of view.
Mom is now at the hospital, she may not be able to go back home. What next?
Talk with the social worker at the hospital to explore the different options. The social worker’s role is to come up with a plan to help the person go back home or refer her to specific services to help her go back home safely or to recommend a move.
What do they mean by "He is deemed at 1.5 hours of care?
Hours of care: the amount of one-on-one time spent to assist a person. For example, if a person needs bathing, which takes half an hour, plus medication distributed, say 15 minutes per day = 45 minutes of care per day. One and a half hours of care usually includes meals, distribution of medication, bathing, dressing and housekeeping. The time allotted for care is always considered case by case, as each situation is different and the services required differ for each individual.
291 Tait, Ville St-Laurent, QC H4M 2K4
info@HelpingSeniors.ca
514-748-7485
Helping Seniors, a certified real estate broker, is authorized to pursue the activity of real estate broker in the province of Quebec. Under Quebec law, only certified real estate agents are authorized to refer people to residences.