Seniors: Procrastinating on Moving?

“I am thinking of transitioning to a smaller place to live, but where do I begin?” As a Realtor® this is often the very first question I am asked when meeting with a senior who is looking to sell their home and downsize. It can feel overwhelming. But the good news is there is a lot of help available.

Many seniors take 1-2 years to decide to move and some are less prepared emotionally than others. Relocation Stress Syndrome is real and there is support available. With planning, you can avoid feeling pressured or pushed.

There are many reasons why someone 55+ considers a move. Retirement, finances, health, need for support services, one-level living, or maybe just to find a place that is smaller and easier to afford or maintain. So, where to begin?

Define Your Needs. Here’s an easy first step. Take your time, gather information and write a “do-like and don’t-like list”. What do you like about your current home? What is important to you? Do you crave access to some outside space? Do you have a dog to walk? What makes a place special to you? What don’t you like? (Too many stairs, too big of a yard to mow, etc.) This list will become a guidepost when you begin to look at new places to live and make it easy to articulate precisely what you’re looking for.

Conduct research. There are many housing options to consider including fifty-five plus independent adult communities and cooperatives; assisted living providing basic services for medical or personal care, meals and recreation; and one-level properties, not just for seniors, such as condos and townhomes where outside maintenance is included. Connecting with an experienced housing professional who can explain the choices, costs and how they might fit with your goals and needs is a solid next step.

Plan ahead. It is often helpful to meet with a Realtor® who has experience helping people transition or downsize even before you are ready to make a change. Request a Comparative Market Analysis. This will determine the value of your property through comparison to similar property transactions within a certain radius and help establish a sale price.

Interview Realtors®. An agent experienced in senior housing options and services will understand the pros and cons and costs of all the housing under consideration and can explain the details to you. They can also consider your “do and don’t like list” and suggest some options that fit your requirements.

There is no shortage of Realtors® vying for the job, but how do you select one? Find a licensed Realtor® with lots of experience working with clients who are similar to you. Ask for references and check them. Look for a hands-on, full- time Realtor®, someone who is familiar with services available for individuals 55+ with trusted contacts in those fields. Does this person listen carefully? Do you feel comfortable with them? Trust your instincts.

Make your move. Forget cookie-cutter solutions! For example, my clients Mitch and Sandra had been living in an apartment with stairs. Sandra recently suffered a serious health challenge that made stairs impossible, but the couple didn’t want an assisted living arrangement. For them, we found a small, one-level townhome in a neighborhood they loved, and they are very happy with this. For someone else, moving to assisted living might have been a very good solution.

Enjoy a smooth move and don’t go it alone. Remember that excellent outside help is available! Pack and move, home care, legal, mortgage, de-clutter, downsize, emotional support and more services are available to help make your move leading up to the big day and beyond a pleasant, beneficial and satisfying next step

Terry Eggan, Realtor®, Bridge Realty
612-386-9309, email - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

EPPIA is a networking group whose members are committed to the welfare of seniors in our community. EPPIA meets five times a year to exchange information and problem solve in the field of aging. For more information on EPPIA please visit our website at www.edenprairieaging.org.

Free Senior Resource Fair!

As part of May’s Seniors Awareness Month, come to EPPIA’s 4th Annual Senior Resource Fair! If you have never attended this event before now is a great opportunity to learn about a variety of resources that are available in our community to help seniors and their families. If you have attended in the past, join us again for vendor visits, learn what’s new in the senior community, meet face-to-face with 40 vendors in the vendor exhibit area, and enjoy refreshments. Last but not least, come to hear our acclaimed key-note speaker, Richard Leider!

We are especially excited to announce that Richard Leider, an internationally known speaker and author, is our key-note speaker! His topic is entitled The Power of Purposeful Aging. We all question our life’s purpose at various stages in our lives, and this is especially relevant to seniors who are no longer raising a family, working, and may have had to curtail some activities and hobbies due to health or other reasons. What is a way forward to a purpose-filled life as we age and our lives change?

Senior Resource Fair Details:

• Thursday May 23rd
• Noon – 3:00 p.m.
• 40 Vendor Exhibits open 12 – 3 p.m.
• Richard Leider – 1 p.m.
• Door Prizes
• Meet-and-greet reception 2 – 3 p.m.
• Pax Christi Catholic Community, 12100 Pioneer Trail

Transportation: If you need transportation to attend this event, call 952-279-8058 to reserve a ride. This service is available to Eden Prairie residents and a donation of $4 is suggested.

A bit more about the vendor exhibits: This part of the Resource Fair enables attendees to meet vendors from a variety of businesses that serve Eden Prairie seniors. It is also a chance to ask questions and get information for you, friends, and family members. Vendors include representatives from senior housing communities, in-home health services, insurance, investments, realtors, move companies, auction companies, and more. You can learn how to get involved in the Eden Prairie Senior Center, which is a hub of resources, activity, and education and promotes a sense of involvement, fitness, fun and friendship.

This event is made possible through the combined efforts of the City of Eden Prairie and EPPIA. Special thanks go to Pax Christi, who provides the space for this event, and to Nothing Bundt Cakes who donates a portion of their delicious cakes for the reception. Please tell your friends and join us for a fun, informative and inspiring afternoon!

Other special May events

Check the Eden Prairie Senior Center website or call them at 952-279-8058 for information on a number of special events that are scheduled to celebrate Senior Awareness Month. The Colony will also present a free program: on Are Your Ready To Move? with three experts in senior realty, move management, and relocation stress management on May 17th from 1 – 3 p.m. Don’t miss this and other free events especially scheduled to recognize Senior Awareness Month!

Holly Hansen, co-owner, Brilliant Moves
612-605-7303 * BrilliantMovesMN.com

EPPIA is a networking group whose members are committed to the welfare of seniors in our community. EPPIA members meet to learn, exchange information and discuss issues in the field of aging. For more information on EPPIA and local senior resources, please visit our website at www.edenprairieaging.org

Becoming a Dementia Friendly Community

Dementia is an unfortunate growing trend, and it’s time to do something about it!

Over 50 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s and other degenerative brain diseases. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia: a group of symptoms that describes a decline in mental ability and memory loss. In Minnesota alone, it is estimated that more than 92,000 older adults have Alzheimer’s. That number will increase to 120,000 by 2025, according to projections by the Alzheimer’s Association. As life expectancies continue to rise, the risk of dementia also grows and it is likely to touch everyone’s life in one way or another. ‘Dementia friendly communities’ can help. They are designed to change the way people see dementia, and how they treat those affected by this disease.

What is a ‘dementia friendly community’?
Minnesota is leading the way as one of the first states to adopt the concept of a ‘dementia friendly community’. This concept originated in the UK, where a 50 year old man diagnosed with mild dementia experienced rude treatment while out shopping. With the support and help of his family, he set out to expand awareness and have businesses, restaurants, streets, etc., see through the eyes of a person with dementia. His belief was that when the dementia worsens, a ‘dementia friendly community’ would be able to provide more understanding, support and care for their neighbors who struggle dealing with their loss of independence, loss of memories and more. Ultimately, a ‘dementia friendly community’ helps those with dementia keep much of their independence and helps them remain a part of the community.

Simple ways to become a ‘dementia friendly community’
As the population continues to age, so does the likelihood of dementia occurring among friends, families, neighbors, and co-workers. Many individuals go undiagnosed because they are frightened by the label and stigma of dementia. By taking steps to increase awareness and by paying attention to early warning signs, there are ways to show recognition and handle potentially stressful situations:

• Use “compassion cards” – business cards that alert restaurant servers, clerks and others to show patience for the person with dementia.
• Experience a ‘hands on’ dementia simulation – garbing up and experiencing what it’s like to have dementia. Many organizations provide this powerful tool to increase understanding of those afflicted.
• Create simpler, easier to read signage in public places to minimize possible confusion.
• Participate in a “Memory Café” setting to have those diagnosed with memory loss and their care partners engage with peers in a relaxed and friendly environment.
• Provide memory aids and simplified instructions for tasks. Encourage trained team co-worker involvement and support in the workplace.
• Attend caregiver education classes and support groups; many of these are offered free of charge.

Resources and support
Three outstanding resources are available that will help make communities more ‘dementia friendly’. Many of these resources are free -- and all are practical:

• Alzheimer’s Association – www.alz.org
• ACT on Alzheimer’s – www.actonalz.org
• Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging and Senior Linkage Line – www.metroaging.org

Have some HOPE
Making communities dementia friendly means improving quality of life for people with dementia, their families, caregivers, friends, neighbors and co-workers; and encouraging them to have HOPE:

H – Have patience. Be kind and friendly. Don’t rush things.
O – Offer assistance. Keep what you say simple and specific.
P – Participate. Encourage involvement, engagement and provide support.
E – Educate yourself. Learn more about dementia’s early warning signs.


Lori Gerval, Director of Marketing at All Saints Senior Living, Shakopee, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

EPPIA is a networking group whose members are committed to the welfare of seniors in our community. EPPIA members meet to learn, exchange information and discuss issues in the field of aging. For more information on EPPIA and local senior resources, please visit our website at www.edenprairieaging.org

Ready, Set, Sell Your Home!

As winter is upon us it is exciting and a bit overwhelming to think of getting your house ready for the spring real estate market. We often think “How will I ever get there from here?”

With the right help and frame of mind, you will be ready to sell and looking forward to a new home; one that will better suit your lifestyle and needs. You will want to present your home in the best possible light to get the highest price and sell in the least amount of time. In order to not get overwhelmed as you prepare, it is best to work in steps.

Choose a Professional Real Estate Agent Early On. You may wish to interview a few to find the right one to partner with. They come with multiple levels of services.

Tip Alert: Choose a Realtor that will not only list your house, but one that will partner with you to bring resources and ideas on how to easily work through all of the steps.

Identify and Make Repairs. A good Realtor can look at your home and tell you what repairs would make a difference in sale price and which ones aren’t worth spending money on. They can make suggestions and help you find the right help if you need it. They have access to reputable and cost- effective painters, plumbers, electricians, cleaners, movers and even people that will help you with your yard.

Remove Clutter and Depersonalize. Buyers want to envision living in your home with their belongings. Remove knickknacks, photos, extra furniture and personal items. This makes the rooms look bigger and more inviting to buyers. Pay special attention to organizing closets and storage areas. Your Realtor will give you staging and furniture placement advice to help present your house at its best.

Tip Alert: Mark and identify items in each room into three categories: Move, Sell or Donate. Your realtor can help you with recommendations on ways to work with items in all three categories or help you find a moving specialist that can work with you “hands on” in this process if needed.

Make Front Door/Porch Look Inviting. This is the first thing buyers see and money spent in this area has the highest return on the price of your home. If needed replace or have the front door painted and add a new welcome mat.

Make Everything Shine. From light fixtures and floors to everything in between, make every surface shine. Scrub every inch of kitchens and bathrooms.

Improve the Landscape, Exterior and Clean Windows. As the weather warms, look to the outside of your home to make sure your yard is at its best. Trim bushes, clean the flower beds and lay down new mulch where needed.

Find Necessary Paperwork. Locate and gather prior disclosures, inspections and paperwork from when you bought your house. Make a list of all of the improvements that you have made and things that you love about your home and neighborhood for prospective buyers to see.

Tip Alert: As you progress through these steps, always count the things each day that you have accomplished more than the things that you still need to do. It will keep you in the right frame of mind and help you to not get overwhelmed in the process.

When you finish you can confidently know that your home will show in the very best light. The Realtor you have partnered with will list your home on MLS, and sell it for the best possible price and you will happily move on to your next home.

Peggy Melbye, Realtor - Coldwell Banker Burnet
952-412-7454 www.peggymelbye.com

EPPIA is a networking group whose members are committed to the welfare of seniors in our community. EPPIA members meet to learn, exchange information and discuss issues in the field of aging. For more information on EPPIA and local senior resources, please visit our website at www.edenprairieaging.org.