clutter

So how do you get your parents to start thinking about downsizing? This article by Carol Bradley Bursack Minding Our Elders gives some great advice:

People want to stay in their own homes. You hear it and read about it all the time. And there’s some merit to that. Most of us can relate to the fact that relocating is emotionally charged. Add the fact that our parents get sick and tired of suffering the indignities of aging and often feel bossed around by everyone from the government to their kids, and you can understand why they often get stubborn. Where they live may be, in their minds, their “last stand."
 

Many elders do well in their homes. They graciously accept the help they need, have cleaning people come in, and are even able to throw away the old newspapers that are piling up in the corner. They are content with adding some safety measures and feel cozy with a bit of clutter.
 

"...Downsizing can have a gratifying up side. Sometimes parsing through your things allows you to, in a sense, "select and choose who you are next," says gerontologist David J. Ekerdt at the University of Kansas who conducted a study of "household disbandment" (when older people reach a point in life where they must downsize). We couldn't agree more. Downsizing, or rightsizing, has a life-changing affect.

Paula Spencer over at Caring.com married news of the study with a useful checklist of items. Her list will help you build strategies as you work to shed your possessions or when helping someone else shed. It works as a navigation tool to help you know when to use extra care or extra work.

Take a read!