The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis UniversityNational Program on Women & Aging
Women & Aging Letter
Excerpt, March 1997
Confronting the Question of Moving
Volume 2, Number 1
So You've Decided to Move . . .Romantic thinking is not just a hazard of youth. At times we all see only the merits and not the imper-fections of a situation. A desired living location can give rise to this kind of thinking--the memory of happy summers spent, the sight of newly finished floors, scenes of couples hard at play, the expecta-tion of frequent visits by family. But moving is a major change and, for some older people, irreversible. It pays to make a reasoned assessment before deciding to move.
First, get as much information as you can about the city/town where you plan to move. Better yet, live there for a week, month, or year, especially at the less at-tractive times (e.g., summer in Florida). Visit the city/ town's library, city hall, and chamber of commerce to seek information. Talk to retired persons who live there (a senior center is one place to meet them).
Second, especially if you cannot spend much time there, use your eyes and ears. Subscribe to the local newspapers. Call the senior center and ask for people you can telephone. If you are computer "plugged in," use the internet.
Third, check out the climate. How hot does it get, how cold, for how long? Is it rainy, snowy, humid, dry? Decide whether or not you will be comfortable in this particular climate. What chores are likely to be cre-ated by the weather: snow shovelling, watering, etc.?
Fourth, be realistic about the cost of living. Check into food costs, housing, taxes (sales, income, inheritance, and property), transportation, and health care. Is it an area likely to become more expensive in the future?
Fifth, what health care resources are available? Can you exercise your choice of managed care or fee-for-service care? Do you have ready access to emergency care and a good general hospital?
Sixth, are desirable recreational and cultural re-sources availableómovies, walking areas, museums, lakes or ocean, walking areas, gardens, sports facilities, etc.?
Seventh, determine whether the area has the type of housing you desire. Many people do not realize the wide range of housing options currently available.
Finally, one of the first things you should do is to start the stressful and difficult job of deciding what will go with you and what must be sold, given away, or discarded.
This is an excerpt onlyBack to Women & Aging Letter page
Back to Home Page