I have worked with the most wonderful company in Portland Maine called Beach Glass Transitions, that helps families navigate the process of finding a retirement or assisted living community for their loved one. A daunting task to say the least. The staff at Beach Glass Transitions, headed by Lynn Peel, will assist you every step of the way from visiting the communities to assisting in the paper work process which can leave busy families in a tizzy.
As a realtor and former sales director for a retirement community I know first hand the stress involved when families make the decision to move their parent or relative to a community. Having someone to walk you through each step of the process is invaluable and will make for a more pleasant experience.
Please contact Lynn Peel at Beach Glass Transitions and vist her website at www.beachglasstransitions.com And don't forget to sign up for their newsletter. Susan
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Seacoast Alzheimer's Memory Walk
Hi All, For the second year in a row I will be be one of the committee chairs for the annual Seacoast Alzheimer's Memory Walk which will take place on September 25, 2010 at Wells Harbor Park, in Wells Maine. We have been meeting monthly since April to plan this years event which is the biggest fund raiser for the Alzheimer's Association of Maine.
So many people have been affected by this disease that almost eveyone knows someonewho has it. If you would like to walk, participate in our committee, or just donate please go to www.alz.org/memorywalk
Or just call me. Susan at 207-450-5038 Realtor ME & NH Prudential Verani Portsmouth,NH
So many people have been affected by this disease that almost eveyone knows someonewho has it. If you would like to walk, participate in our committee, or just donate please go to www.alz.org/memorywalk
Or just call me. Susan at 207-450-5038 Realtor ME & NH Prudential Verani Portsmouth,NH
Seniors Downsizing
Yesterday was a very good day. I helped an active senior make the transition from a home in the rural countryside to a classic antique condo in the heart of a lovely seaside Maine town.
She was so happy to have people around her that live in the same building, along with cafes, and restaurants a few steps beyond her door, and miles of beautiful beaches just minutes away.
That was a satisfying experience for me as a Maine Realtor, and a humbling one to be part of her downsizing process. Now all I have to do is sell her home in the country!!!! It is a good time to buy! Susan.dequattro@verani.com
She was so happy to have people around her that live in the same building, along with cafes, and restaurants a few steps beyond her door, and miles of beautiful beaches just minutes away.
That was a satisfying experience for me as a Maine Realtor, and a humbling one to be part of her downsizing process. Now all I have to do is sell her home in the country!!!! It is a good time to buy! Susan.dequattro@verani.com
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
A Perfect Move!
Just wanted to let you know about a fantastic moving company that I have had direct experience with. A Perfect Move, is a local moving company out of Kittery, Maine. They provide years of experience helping seniors to move and assist in the downsizing process.
Their services include packing, unpacking, assistance with furniture placement, careful attention to antiques, along with personalized service to insure a smooth transition. Please call Sean at 866-630-6740 or email smahaney@aperfectmover.net
Susan DeQuattro
Prudential Verani
207-450-5038 Cell
susan.dequattro@verani.com
Their services include packing, unpacking, assistance with furniture placement, careful attention to antiques, along with personalized service to insure a smooth transition. Please call Sean at 866-630-6740 or email smahaney@aperfectmover.net
Susan DeQuattro
Prudential Verani
207-450-5038 Cell
susan.dequattro@verani.com
Monday, June 7, 2010
Did you know? For Seniors
Did you know that as a senior you can walk into almost any grocery store and ask for assistance and the staff will find someone to help you shop?
My mother in law who is legally blind utilizes this service from her local grocery store and it is so valuable to her. She walks in and the staff has someone with her through her whole shopping trip right through to check out.
She says it is the best thing to happen to her in a long time since grocery shopping has become such a challenge. "Shirley" has difficulty reading labels and cannot reach the higher shelves and is somewhat unsteady on her feet, and often needs to find a place to sit down halfway through her shopping.
The staff at the Market Basket in Lawrence, Mass was so helpful to her. They found her a seat to rest, and assisted her in picking out all her favorite brands. She is no longer afraid to go shopping alone! Just about any store will do this for our seniors. You just need to ask.
P.S. The new Hannafords in Kennebunk, Maine caters to seniors in every way. They have benches all throughout the store for resting and someone available to help you shop. Life is Good for Seniors....
Susan DeQuattro Prudential Verani, Portsmouth,NH
susan.dequattro@verani.com
My mother in law who is legally blind utilizes this service from her local grocery store and it is so valuable to her. She walks in and the staff has someone with her through her whole shopping trip right through to check out.
She says it is the best thing to happen to her in a long time since grocery shopping has become such a challenge. "Shirley" has difficulty reading labels and cannot reach the higher shelves and is somewhat unsteady on her feet, and often needs to find a place to sit down halfway through her shopping.
The staff at the Market Basket in Lawrence, Mass was so helpful to her. They found her a seat to rest, and assisted her in picking out all her favorite brands. She is no longer afraid to go shopping alone! Just about any store will do this for our seniors. You just need to ask.
P.S. The new Hannafords in Kennebunk, Maine caters to seniors in every way. They have benches all throughout the store for resting and someone available to help you shop. Life is Good for Seniors....
Susan DeQuattro Prudential Verani, Portsmouth,NH
susan.dequattro@verani.com
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Memory Issues
For those who do not know me I am a realtor in southern Maine and Seacoast NH. So here is a story from my days as marketing director for a retirement/assisted living community.
The saddest things is loss of memory in a loved one. I can't tell you how devastated families feel over this affliction. Only that I have sat with them, and cried with them, and tried to ease their pain by just being there. Often times the elderly person is the least affected because they are in their own world. But the people left behind are the ones that truly suffer.
One woman I worked with had a husband with Alzheimer's who was rapidly deteriorating. There was little trauma for him and he was busy making friends in the assisted living and pushing people around in their wheelchairs. He had always been a very kind man and felt he needed to continue to help these people who could not walk. It was very moving to see him.
His wife on the other hand was devasted and in mourning for the loss of her husband and her life as she knew it. Each day she would come to visit and cry before she came in so she could be strong for us and him. To speak with her was so painful because she loved her husband so deeply and knew he would no longer be that husband to her, yet he was still very much alive.
Living apart from him was a whole new life for her. I will never forget her strength and courage. She fought to find him the right setting and wrote to her congresswoman and to get what she needed for him. Never underestimate the power of love. It was amazing to witness and I learned so much from her, how strong we can be when the time comes. Oh, and he was only 70 years old. So they were young and going through this.
Please contact me at susan.dequattro@verani.com
The saddest things is loss of memory in a loved one. I can't tell you how devastated families feel over this affliction. Only that I have sat with them, and cried with them, and tried to ease their pain by just being there. Often times the elderly person is the least affected because they are in their own world. But the people left behind are the ones that truly suffer.
One woman I worked with had a husband with Alzheimer's who was rapidly deteriorating. There was little trauma for him and he was busy making friends in the assisted living and pushing people around in their wheelchairs. He had always been a very kind man and felt he needed to continue to help these people who could not walk. It was very moving to see him.
His wife on the other hand was devasted and in mourning for the loss of her husband and her life as she knew it. Each day she would come to visit and cry before she came in so she could be strong for us and him. To speak with her was so painful because she loved her husband so deeply and knew he would no longer be that husband to her, yet he was still very much alive.
Living apart from him was a whole new life for her. I will never forget her strength and courage. She fought to find him the right setting and wrote to her congresswoman and to get what she needed for him. Never underestimate the power of love. It was amazing to witness and I learned so much from her, how strong we can be when the time comes. Oh, and he was only 70 years old. So they were young and going through this.
Please contact me at susan.dequattro@verani.com
Seniors on the Move, It's about compassion
How many people have had the chance to sit with a family while they decide the fate of their elderly family member. Well I have and it has been a humbling experience to say the least.
I have been a realtor for six years, and during that time I spent 2 years as director of sales and marketing for a retirement/assissted living community in coastal Maine. As a result of that work I am now dedicated to helping families and seniors sell their homes and move on to the next stage of life.
What I realized is that no matter what age you are, selling a home is stressful and selling a home you have lived in for 40 years is traumatic.! The feelings that an 80 plus person is dealing with are overwhelming and the sense of loss is great. That person who has lived a long time has experienced so much already, maybe a loss of a spouse, a child, health issues, money. Having someone on their side, guiding, and counseling, being patient, compassionate and letting them know it will all be good is the best thing for them. That is where a knowlegdeable and compassionate realtor comes in. Folks this is not easy!!
I have a degree and a background in social work which makes me wired for those things that the elderly population needs,which is to meet them where they are at, go at their pace, and always listen. They have a lot to say.
After I moved one gentleman into the retirement community he told me he wished he had done this years ago so that he could enjoy more of what there was to offer. In other words he wished he had sold his house years before and relaxed in his new home and let others do the work. He is very happy there today.
Many seniors are sitting at home alone and worrying about their properties while their adult children are sitting at work worrying about their parents living alone in their homes. Not only that but many elderly are no longer safe living alone, and although there are great programs out there to protect them the burden of their living situation causes more stress than we can imagine. Simple tasks become momumental, independence is no longer theirs, and loss of dignity is huge.
I would like to work with these families to assist them in selling their properties and make a smooth transition, hold their hands, tell them it will be o.k. and watch their faces relax. That is what they need. They have lived a life time and want and need to still be as independent as possible. That is the goal. Independence, dignity, choices.
I have been a realtor for six years, and during that time I spent 2 years as director of sales and marketing for a retirement/assissted living community in coastal Maine. As a result of that work I am now dedicated to helping families and seniors sell their homes and move on to the next stage of life.
What I realized is that no matter what age you are, selling a home is stressful and selling a home you have lived in for 40 years is traumatic.! The feelings that an 80 plus person is dealing with are overwhelming and the sense of loss is great. That person who has lived a long time has experienced so much already, maybe a loss of a spouse, a child, health issues, money. Having someone on their side, guiding, and counseling, being patient, compassionate and letting them know it will all be good is the best thing for them. That is where a knowlegdeable and compassionate realtor comes in. Folks this is not easy!!
I have a degree and a background in social work which makes me wired for those things that the elderly population needs,which is to meet them where they are at, go at their pace, and always listen. They have a lot to say.
After I moved one gentleman into the retirement community he told me he wished he had done this years ago so that he could enjoy more of what there was to offer. In other words he wished he had sold his house years before and relaxed in his new home and let others do the work. He is very happy there today.
Many seniors are sitting at home alone and worrying about their properties while their adult children are sitting at work worrying about their parents living alone in their homes. Not only that but many elderly are no longer safe living alone, and although there are great programs out there to protect them the burden of their living situation causes more stress than we can imagine. Simple tasks become momumental, independence is no longer theirs, and loss of dignity is huge.
I would like to work with these families to assist them in selling their properties and make a smooth transition, hold their hands, tell them it will be o.k. and watch their faces relax. That is what they need. They have lived a life time and want and need to still be as independent as possible. That is the goal. Independence, dignity, choices.
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