Estelle Nail, an 89-year-old retiree moving from Tennessee to Shenandoah, Texas, will be living in an apartment for the first time in her life. After her husband of 64 years passed away, Estelle felt isolated and in need of help with daily tasks. A few months after her husband’s death, she met with her son Larry Nail and the two discussed moving her to a senior living community close to the family in Houston. After thinking it through, she decided to move to Avanti Senior Living at Vision Park in Shenandoah, and has spent the last few months preparing to downsize from a three-bedroom home to a spacious, one-bedroom apartment. Knowing she is not the only senior undertaking the downsizing challenge, she is willing to share her experiences thus far.
“It’s only natural for things to remind us of our loved ones, whether it’s their favorite chair, the painting they bought at a local fair or something they purchased because they thought of you and knew you would like it,” said Estelle. “However, when it comes to downsizing from a home like the one I spent the last 20 years in with my husband to an apartment, you simply cannot take everything with you. So where to start? My daughter-in-law, Ginny, began by measuring my new apartment to get the exact dimensions and a feel for the layout of the space. In Tennessee, my daughter, Debra, and I measured my furniture to make sure it would fit. While it’s natural and only human to attach memories and sentimental value to things in our homes, you have to think of downsizing in a practical way. You can only move things that will fit in the new space, and it’s a good time to get rid of things you do not use or wear that often, as well as things that won’t be needed in the future.”
To help with the process, Estelle weighed her options, choosing to part with some things in hopes of bringing others. While she knows that her dresser and giant mirror won’t fit with the rest of her bedroom furniture, she plans to bring her lounge chair for the living room. She has a list of must-bring items, as well as a list of would-like-to-bring items, if she has a little extra space. She has given other things to family members, such as her china cabinet. She knows these items will have a good place in their homes and that they will be able to use them. She is thrilled to know her children and grandchildren will be using items that have been in her home as they maintain or build their own homes. The items that not delegated to family will simply be donated to those in need. So far, Estelle is having the hardest time deciding what to do with the thousands of photographs she has collected over the years, which she stores in the attic.
“Thanks to technology, I’ve been able to digitize many photographs so far,” said Larry. “She will be taking some hard copies with her, but the rest she is grouping in collections to give to family members. I’ve put many of the digitized versions on her iPad already and plan to do more. As difficult as the downsizing is, both physically and emotionally, I am more than happy that she has made the decision to move to Texas to be closer to us. We were worried she wouldn’t want to leave her home, but she is embracing this new chapter and handling it with such grace and practicality. My mom was a little apprehensive at first, as is to be expected, but once we showed her around and she learned she would be surrounded by her peers, she was all for it. I know she was feeling alone and sad after my father’s death, and being around people lifts her spirits and gets her health back on track. We have noticed significant changes in her ability to walk, her memory and her overall happiness when she comes to visit and is around people, especially her family. This is going to be a wonderful transition.”
Upon visiting the community, Ginny met another future resident who she believes her mom will get along with well. When describing the woman, Ginny said she was very much like Estelle and that she too loved to play train. Estelle is looking forward to meeting her, along with other residents, through various activities like playing games, attending fitness classes, and art studio tutorials.
“Once my father passed away, it very quickly became obvious that my mother needed extra help,” said Larry. “We began discussing options in November, and are eager for her move this coming August. The things that really stood out to us about Avanti Senior Living at Vision Park are the newness of the community, the deliverance of care and quality of it, and the technology, which no other community integrates in the same way. We love that our mom can order food and transportation from her iPad. Her experience will be truly outstanding.”
“It is very exciting to have residents moving from other states to retire in our communities,” said Angela Copeland, executive director of Avanti Senior Living at Vision Park. “We had a resident move all the way from New Jersey to Avanti Senior Living at Towne Lake in Cypress, and now we are happy to welcome Estelle to Vision Park. We work very hard to be an excellent resource and to make these transitions as seamless as possible. Our residents and their families are at the heart of what we do and why we come to work ready to fulfill such a meaningful purpose. We know that downsizing can be difficult, but we there are many positive things in store for residents when they move in.”