Moving out of your home is indeed painful since it is more or less, leaving memories behind. What makes it doubly painful is when someone in your immediate family decides to move you without ever consulting you if you are ready for it. Of course, they won’t exactly understand it and all you can do is go with the flow and put a curse on them that someday, may their kids do the exact same things to them! What you should remember is that you still have the power over your life and you can decide what to do with it unless you also doubt your capabilities in making the right decisions. (Which is I doubt since you can still read this post without difficulty!)

However, it is also important—if you would like to be treated fairly, that is—to know when to give yourself up even if it means giving up your independence as well. Let’s face it, as we age, we lose the ability to care for ourselves one by one. In fact, even if you can still clean your bathroom with ease, just belonging to the magic number of 60 and above makes you a likely target of scams. It only means that even if you run away from a security breach, they will come running after you anyway. Below are some indications to help you determine if it is time for you to move to a safer environment:

•    Diminishing physical capabilities. No matter how active you are right now, there will be some things you just can’t do anymore as you age. These can be necessary restrictions such as avoiding activities which can break your bones or a conscious awareness of your surroundings for things that may hurt your body. For less active seniors, notice your body and reflexes slowing down—surely, these are the things that will only make your life miserable if you keep on living on your own.
•    Declining mental health. Just because you always forget where you left your keys doesn’t mean you are on your way to a mental institution. However, there is more to simply forgetting things as it can also pose risks to you and your health. Just imagine what can happen if you missed your appointment with the doctor just because you forgot or perhaps, got confused over the times you should be taking your meds.
•    Having a hard time getting to and fro places. Transportation must be the all-time obstacle for seniors since it will just keep on getting harder and harder to climb the bus or step in a train. It is important that you eliminate unnecessary inconveniences at this point by moving to a closer location wherein you can just walk around and be at places you intended to be.
•    Not enough money to make adjustments to your home. Renovations are expensive—the reason why most people avoid it like a plague– however in your condition, it is extremely important to make these adjustments.
•    Shrinking circle of friends. It is important that you stay social as you, at this point, need companionship. Moving to a community where seniors like you are living comfortably will pave the way for you to make new friends.