Sudbury company helps aging population downsize

Up North6:44Sudbury business helps seniors downsize

A new business in Sudbury will help seniors make the difficult transition when they need to move into a smaller home or long-term care facility.

Downsizing or moving into a smaller home or a long-term care home is something people don't like to think about, but a Sudbury based company is hoping to help seniors and their families with the transition.

Madeleine Sauv worked with seniors for 30 years, and said she saw a gap when it came to seniors moving into a smaller residence.

"I heard a very sad story about a woman whose kids didn't know how to tell her she had to move to a long-term care home," she said.

"They told her that she was going to visit and they left her there."

From there, she developed the business to help seniors transition into a new home, called Seniors North.

"They've accumulated so many belongings and attachments to these belongings," she explained.

"For them, it's a great loss when they have to downsize. They not only have to let go of belongings, but they have to sell their home and they go through a grief journey."

She said she works to have clients reminisce with items while sorting and encourages them to find ways to remember important things, including taking photos or making a scrapbook.

Sauv said a lot of seniors aren't prepared to move, and said the best way to do that is to plan and not wait for a crisis to happen.

"When a crisis happens, you have so many things on your mind," she said.

"A lot of the time, it's difficult to make decisions."

Sauv said she's had several inquiries about her business, and said to start, she will visit her client for a consultation and help them see the positive side of moving.

"The freedom of not having to mow the lawn or find someone to shovel your driveway," she said.

"There are many, many positive aspects to moving, and sometimes when we're right in the situation, it's hard to see."

Sauv added the service can also reduce stress among the family involved.

"Downsizing and moving can literally destroy families, where if you hire someone neutral, they're able to deal with the family as well as the individual."