6 • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2019 • CAREGIVER
MAKING THE MOVE
Advance planning can help make downsizing a much smoother transition
Helping mom, dad, a grandparent or other
older loved one downsize and move out
of a family home is something that many
caregivers will eventually face, and it can be
a daunting task.
It doesn’t have to be overwhelming,
though, if families take the time to prepare
for a move well in advance of when it
needs to happen.
The right time to start, said Jill Yesko,
founder and president of Discover Organizing
in Bridgeville, is ASAP.
“I always say to people, ‘Do you want to
make the decisions, or do you want your
kids to make the decisions or complete
strangers to make the decisions?’” Yesko
said.
“They always say, ‘Well, I want to do it.’
OK, so let’s start now. They say, ‘Well, I’m
not really ready to move yet,’ and I tell
them that doesn’t matter. It’s good that
you’re sitting down now and making a plan
while you still have your strength and your
faculties and your decision-making abilities.
When it comes time to move, you’ll be
ready.”
Yesko is one of an ever-growing number
of professionals throughout the U.S. who
specialize in senior moves. Founded in
2002 with 22 members from 16 companies,
the nonprofit National Association of
Senior Move Managers now accredits more
than 900 companies nationwide.
Yesko started out as a professional organizer
but about eight years ago started to
see a shift toward the growing specialization.
“We started to see a change in Pittsburgh
with all the seniors needing to downsize,
and now our trend is working with a lot of
seniors,” she said.
For Yesko and other professionals like
THEDOWNSIZING DILEMMA
STOCK.ADOBE.COM
BY KAREN PRICE
FOR TRIB TOTAL MEDIA