My parents are hoarders

Stories from the Orlando Senior Help Desk

Tammy knew her parents, especially her mother, saved everything. They had every class picture, report card, book report, school and sports uniform she and her four brothers ever owned. Her parents had inherited each of their parents' belongings when they passed away. There were boxes and boxes of pictures of family and friends, some long forgotten. The house was full of fond memories. It was also full magazines saved for recipes, sewing patterns, DYI projects and "interesting" articles. There were also sports, nature and science magazines. The house was overflowing.

Now, Tammy's parents were aging quickly and needed to move into assisted living. Tammy didn't know what to do so she called the Orlando Senior Help Desk. Tammy's first priority was finding a place for her parents to live. The Help Desk explained that it is best to move parents within 20-30 minutes of home so it is easy and convenient to visit often. They reviewed the communities near Tammy's home, visited the places the liked best and found one her parents found acceptable.

Next they had to figure out what her parents could take to their new home. Then, clean out the house to sell. The Orlando Senior Help Desk connected Tammy to a company that helps seniors move. The move expert worked with her parents directly. They helped them decide what to take with and what to sell. They set up the new apartment including hanging pictures. An estate sale handled much of what was left in the house and the rest was donated. Jobs Tammy did not have to do.

Call the Orlando Senior Help Desk at 407-678-9363 or visit the website at http://www.orlandoseniorhelpdesk.org to help you navigate the maze of senior services.