Downsizing in Australia - Mark O'Shea | Page 15

Dean Lupson I’ve witnessed a situation where the decision-making has been passed on to another loved one who made numerous mistakes that resulted in substantial and unnecessary stress, personal cost, and financial loss. Many older Australians fear downsizing because they think all it means is having to get rid of some of their lifelong family belongings. As a result, they continue to live in homes much bigger than they need or even want. They may have four bedrooms, two bathrooms and two living areas, but a large number of this generation only use one bedroom, one bathroom, one living room. Those extra rooms tend to become a storage locker for their own never-looked-at items, as well as items that belong to their adult children—who have long since moved on and probably can’t even remember what they are. If you are chuckling right 015