hiking , dancing , and painting ( Pat ).
During the pandemic , they were able to support their family even more . For example , they used Facetime to tutor grandchildren who were learning online .
Marcus Busch experienced the “ elder-moving ” decision from the perspective of a son whose mother was aging . His parents had lived in Kelowna and Victoria during the latter part of their working lives for about thirty years .
In retirement , his parents liked living in their bungalow condo in Kelowna . They had what Marcus calls “ a wonderful community .” When Marcus ’ father died in 2012 , his mother chose to remain in their home even though her three children lived in Alberta — two sons in Edmonton and a daughter in Red Deer .
However , Marcus says , in recent years his mother ’ s “ margin of safety was getting thinner and thinner .” At age 92 , she no longer had the ability to say , “ I need to move .”
The family was very conscious of honouring their mother ’ s sense of independence and autonomy . But once the need for a move became clearly evident , his mom struggled with having to choose between Edmonton and Red Deer .
Marcus and his siblings met with their mother at Christmas 2018 and then had a phone conference about six months later . In October 2019 , his mom relocated to a seniors ’ residence in Red Deer and settled in quite well . But it has not been completely ideal . Five months after the move , COVID-19 struck , limiting her ability to get to know Red Deer .
Marcus says downsizing his parents ’ long-time home was a larger challenge than deciding where their mother should live . Dealing with belongings collected over many decades was an “ enormous job that required the efforts of five adults for a whole month ,” he says . “ It was unbelievable . And instructive for my wife and me .”
Another possibility , not discussed in this article , is choosing a retirement location that has an attractive climate . Many articles on the internet assess the “ snowbird ” possibilities : six spring and summer months in Canada and six winter months farther south where it is warm and sunny .
As Bobbi and Dean , Pat and Cec , and Marcus can all attest , placement decisions challenge seniors to determine immediate and long-term needs and wants , with the ever-present reality of those needs and wants changing without notice .
Anita Jenkins and her husband Richard ’ s decision to stay in Edmonton after retirement was an easy one , but they did make the big decision to move from a beloved house to an apartment when Richard could no longer handle the stairs . This turned out well , as Anita was healthy enough to make the arrangements herself . news & views AUTUMN 2021 | 43