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10 Reasons Senior Citizens Change Addresses

By Cheryl Owen

Sheryl Owen, regularly writes for http://www.changeofaddress.org/. She is a graduate in English literature and currently pursuing her masters in Online Journalism. She can be reached via email at: sheryl3.owen@gmail.com.

As our society has become more mobile, we are witnessing our senior citizens become more mobile as well. More and more seniors are uprooting out of their long-time homes and moving around the country, something that is vastly different than the norm where senior citizens would stay in one place for long periods of time, settling into the community and establishing roots. Here are ten reasons that have contributed to this phenomenon:

1. They have chosen to downsize – Larger houses become too much to take care of as they get older, making it hard to keep up with all of the tedious house-keeping tasks. Plus, seniors generally don’t need as much space as they once did, making smaller spaces infinitely more attractive. And because some have lost spouses and are now alone, they may choose to eliminate a lot of their furniture and other possessions by giving them to their children, selling them, or giving them away. By downsizing their possessions they also end up needing to downsize their living space.
2. They want convenience – Some seniors are moving into apartments or townhouses so they don’t have to do yard work or keep up their yard as they go through the various seasons, depending on the type of climate they live in. Moving to an apartment or townhome gives them the added benefit of having an association or grounds manager that will maintain their yards so they can still enjoy them without all the work.
3. Moving into town becomes a great option – If they have lived in the country, they may want to move into town to be closer to shopping centers and medical facilities. There is also security in being closer to doctors and hospitals as they age and more medical issues arise. Plus, being in a town means they’ll have to do a lot less driving when they need to run their errands, and provides the additional option of public transportation.
4. Retirement communities attract many seniors – 55+ communities offer more affordable housing options and social interaction with others their age. Many also have a lot of amenities which are right there in their neighborhood such as pools, exercise rooms, planned activities, and maybe even golf courses.
5. Retirement gives them time to travel – Now that they are no longer employed, they have time to travel. Some seniors have chosen to sell almost everything and live in a RV and travel around the country. Other seniors choose to live in a RV to have the flexibility to volunteer for different organizations in different locations.  Many of these organizations give them a place to stay while they do volunteer work for them, and then the seniors move on to another location. There are also opportunities for retirees who live in campers to work as hosts at campgrounds which give them a place to stay plus a little extra income.
6. Snowbirds chose to move to warmer climates – As seniors start going south for the winter on a regular basis, they make connections in those areas and decide to move there to be closer to friends. They like the warm weather and get tired of living in two locations and having to maintain both places.
7. Some choose to live near their children – There are a couple reasons why seniors choose to live near their children, such as they may need the help of their children, so they can stay home if they begin to fail physically or mentally. Or for others, they just may be tired of traveling to see their children and grandchildren and want to become part of their lives on a more regular basis, and so they choose to live near them.
8. It’s a good time to experience new places – Now that they are free from working and are still healthy, it is a good time for senior citizens to take the plunge and live in that location they have always thought would they’d enjoy. With nothing holding them back, they may decide to take advantage of it while they can and make the move.
9. Some actually take on a new vocation – Retirement income may not be sufficient to support some seniors in the lifestyle they desire. In this situation, they may relocate for employment opportunities.
10. Assisted living or nursing homes become a necessity – This is probably the main reason seniors change addresses. They can no longer take care of themselves at home, so they make the hard decision, or it is made for them, to move into an environment where care is readily available.

It is a big decision for senior citizens to make the move to a new home or location, whether the decision is made from choice or out of necessity, despite how common it’s becoming. 

Sheryl Owen, regularly writes for http://www.changeofaddress.org/. She is a graduate in English literature and currently pursuing her masters in Online Journalism. She can be reached via email at: sheryl3.owen@gmail.com.

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To arrange for Susan Klopfer to speak to your organization on retirement topics, contact her at http://susanklopfer.com