The gentleman stood straight in his blazer and slacks, well over eighty years old, offering a firm handshake and a kind introduction of his name. It was just after a seminar of home sale options for seniors, and this man had waited for me with a question.
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?Here?s my situation,? he began quietly. ?My wife has Alzheimer?s?? No sooner had the words come from his mouth, than he broke down, covering his face, tears streaming down his cheeks. He could not finish his sentence. A minute later, he began again, carefully forming his words. ?It?s hard to talk about. I don?t know how I will do all the work of getting the home ready to sell. All my time is spent caring for her.?
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This man?s gentle face showed the tenderness of a lifetime of love for his wife.? It also showed his resolve to be faithful to her through the difficult decline of Alzheimer?s. Yet he had an overwhelming task ahead of him: To update and sell the condo they owned, and to navigate each of the complex steps of the transition into a retirement care facility that could provide the care his wife so desperately needed. Alzheimer?s (called Alzheimer?s disease or AD) significantly changes the path of a senior?s home sale. No longer can the elderly couple plan their steps together, working as a team to sort through belongings and tour retirement communities. It is even more difficult than being single, facing the many steps of the home sale alone.
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The daily challenges of Alzheimer?s deplete the caregiving spouse or adult children?s time, energy, strength, and focus. It leaves them exhausted as they take on the enormous task of selling the family home, dispersing belongings, and getting through the significant household move.
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This gentleman?s burden is not uncommon. Over 5.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer?s now, and this number is expected to reach up to 16 million by 2050 according to the Alzheimer?s Association. Spouses and family members across the country struggle to provide the best care to their loved one through the various stages of Alzheimer?s, while simultaneously juggling the normal demands and responsibilities of daily life.
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The sale of a senior?s home, which ranks among the most significant life events of the retirement years, seems impossible to navigate with Alzheimer?s disease present. This is especially so with financial pressures, looming deadlines, or lack of family support. Yet there are ways to make the home sale simpler and less stressful, while preserving the dignity and care of the senior who is suffering from the disease.
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From our years of serving seniors and their families through the home sale process, we have many suggestions to offer. See part 2 of this post, for additional tips on how to navigate a home sale with a loved one who has Alzheimer?s.
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Source: http://www.sashprogram.com/blog/with-alzheimers-is-a-home-sale-possible-part-1-of-2/
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