Moving can be an emotional experience, especially if you are transitioning to a senior living community. Whether youre leaving your family house on your own terms or have to find a new place to call home due to a health concern, moving as a senior can bring up a flood of feelings from relief to worry.   At WayForth, we understand the emotional toll that moving can take on seniors. Every day we work with seniors and their families like yours. Our team members are committed to providing compassion, respect and care to the process of moving.    We spoke to two people on our team with backgrounds in social work who bring their skills to WayForth. Kara McCallum, VP of Operations and Isabel Wilson, Account Manager were interviewed for their knowledge and experience around the emotions of moving.  Kara has been with WayForth for seven years and holds a bachelor's and master's degree in social work. Her experience includes working in mental health and with clients of all ages, including those with disabilities.  Isabel brings an undergraduate degree in psychology and a Master of Social Work to her position at WayForth. Before joining the team, she worked in hospital case management during the COVID pandemic.   What are common emotions around moving to a new home?  Kara: A move is a critical and stressful situation in someones life and some people may have a thin skin or find themselves at an emotional place that they didnt expect. They can be feeling relief, be frightened, excited or even have some amount of grief leaving a life, people or relationships. This can call come out as anger or sadness and depression.  Isabel: To me, the emotion of moving was eye-opening when I first started at WayForth. In my life, moving always meant a better or bigger place or a choice I was able to make. But for some of our older clients, moving is not always a positive experience. Some people do not want to move. Its complicated and stressful and it might mean that they have to move out of their family home when theyre not emotionally ready.  Kara: Moving is a raw and stressful time. It can bring out the full spectrum of emotions such as frustration and sadness. Things bubble up. People are tired. People may fight or not be on the same page with family members.   Isabel: With our senior clients, there is a high vulnerability with moving. Some people do not want to move; its hard to leave a family home. When you have a lifetime of things and memories, its very difficult to decide what to take with you, especially when you are downsizing.  To learn more about how WayForth can help you transition into a senior living community, read our blog here! 

Years ago, my best friends parents passed away in an airplane accident. I vividly remember going to their house with my mother to bring food in the days following the incident. When we arrived, we saw four to six massive dumpsters outside of the house that were being filled and emptied on a very regular basis. A few weeks after our visit, I called my mom to check in on her. She made a comment that has always stuck with meshe could not believe that after years of collecting all those wonderful items, they all ended up in a dumpster. It was very eye-opening for my mother to see what occurs after a death. In her mind, and Im sure in many other peoples minds, those items have significant value to the family, and they will be forever cherished. The truth is most children dont have the room to take those items and their perception of sentimental value is not the same as it was for previous generations. Almost immediately, my mother started cleaning out all of the things she had been collecting. She became very picky about what she would keep. I did not realize at the time what a huge project she had undertaken until years later when she died. It still did take my father a long time to go through everything that remained, but I have no doubt that he was thankful that he didnt need the four to six dumpsters he would have needed, had my mom not started her own decluttering project years earlier. We encourage you to talk to your loved ones about starting to declutter and sort their items now. You will be grateful after they are gone, and it will make your job as the executor of the estate much easier. Remember, however, that it may be very difficult for seniors to part with some of their things. Dont push to the point of causing any type of conflict. Enjoy the time with your family while you are cleaning and downsizing, and hopefully, it will provide peace of mind for family members down the road.Please call us at 717-844-9639 and well set you up with a free consultation or register you for a free workshop.  

Estate planning is a crucial process that ensures the security of your family and assets when you pass away. However, many people are tempted to handle the task themselves using do-it-yourself (DIY) websites or forms. While these options may seem convenient and cost-effective, they can lead to numerous mishaps that can cause legal and financial problems for you and your loved ones.One major issue with DIY estate planning is that the forms are not tailored to your state-specific laws and regulations. Many people dont realize how specific estate planning documents can be, down to the notarization process. DIY websites and forms assume that you know the answers to legal questions, but they dont provide the knowledge or expertise that an experienced attorney can offer.Weve seen cases where DIY estate planning forms have led to costly mistakes. In one instance, a child lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in government benefits because the form did not include language for special needs planning. This mistake could have been easily avoided if an experienced estate planning attorney had been consulted.In another case, estate proceedings were delayed for four months because the forms were not notarized properly. A self-proving Will would have ensured that the document was legal and saved time and money. Unfortunately, the individual who was the notary was unavailable, and the estate faced several complications as a result.At Bellomo & Associates, we strongly advise against DIY estate planning. Its essential to take estate planning seriously and seek the expertise of a professional who specializes in this area of law. Our attorneys can provide personalized guidance and ensure your estate plan is tailored to your needs and state regulations. By investing in a professional, you can protect your family and assets and avoid costly mistakes in the future. If youre interested in learning more about estate planning, we invite you to visit our website to register for one of our upcoming workshops.Our knowledgeable attorneys will provide valuable insights and answer any questions you may have. Dont wait until its too late to plan for your familys future. Register today and take your first step towards ensuring peace of mind for you and your family.  

Say aging in place, and it conjures visions of an elderly person enjoying all the comforts of home. Now, the idea is rising to new levels of convenience, easy living, and safety. Imagine home-cooked meals, without the prep and cleanup. Outdoor living, without the lawn mowing. Days full of choices, without the worry of how to safely manage daily tasks or coordinate a retinue of home care providers.Welcome to Columbia Cottage Linglestown, the only licensed assisted living community in Dauphin County, now open in beautiful Blue Ridge Village, Lower Paxton Township. Columbia Cottage Linglestown brings to the Harrisburg area a home where aging in place is graceful, worry-free, and secure. The layout and amenities of Columbia Cottage are purpose-designed for a homelike atmosphere, right down to the breezy front porch. Columbia Cottages renowned 10 levels of care deliver care plans customized to the distinct needs of every resident.Put it all together, Columbia Cottage truly offers the comfort of aging in place plus the peace of mind that comes from individualized assisted living. Columbia Cottage is already a recognized presence throughout central and eastern Pennsylvania, owned by Lancaster-based Horst Group and well known for committing to the well-being of residents, their families, staff, and the community.When choosing a senior living community, consider these elements:Licensed assisted living. In Pennsylvania, assisted living supports independence and personal choice while assuring care up to the highest levels needed. Columbia Cottage was the first company in Pennsylvania to license multiple communities for assisted living, way back in 2011. All those years of experience add up to knowledgeable delivery of daily support.Caregivers who care. Any facility can train its people in how to do the job, but Columbia Cottage hires for the heart. At Columbia Cottage Linglestown, our staff becomes an extension of every residents family, building personal, attentive relationships.Personalized care. Columbia Cottages personalized care offers a break from institutionalized living. Columbia Cottage originally designed seven levels of care, but in 2020, those seven were elevated to an unprecedented 10 levels, to meet the intensifying needs of residents.Customized, chef-prepared meals. At home, you can walk into your kitchen and make what you like for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course, someone has to fill the pantry, and there are all those dishes to wash. At Columbia Cottage Linglestown, meal plans are customized to each residents likes, dislikes, and dietary needs. The certified executive chef oversees a menu brimming with goodness, and everything is made from scratch.Columbia Cottage uses technology and finely honed systems to deliver the 10 levels of care. Every arriving resident undergoes a 36-point assessment for a holistic picture of their needs, and Columbia Cottage staff work with residents and families to devise a plan. Those 10 levels of care arent slots for the resident to fill but a guideline for the type and amount of care needed while still affording dignity and personal choice.Every three months, or as needed, the care plan is reevaluated, and when circumstances change, its Columbia Cottage not the resident that adapts. Residents dont have to endure the disruption of moving to another unit just because they need more care. In fact, one of the most beautiful, and differentiating, aspects of life at Columbia Cottage is that married couples can stay together in their apartments. Columbia Cottage doesnt force them to split up when one spouse needs more intensive care.All of this personalized care comes wrapped in an unparalleled setting. Columbia Cottage Linglestown consists of four neighborhoods. Three neighborhoods are Assisted Living with 17 apartments and one neighborhood is designed for Memory Care with 22 apartments. All residents have access to their neighborhoods kitchen, living room, and courtyard where they can build lasting friendships.Columbia Cottage Linglestown carefully crafts an experience that delights every day. Features include:Outdoor living. With three courtyards, plus arbors, patios, and a walking path, residents can experience the beauties of nature while chatting with friends or having some quiet time. The front porch is a popular spot for rocking and sipping homemade lavender lemonade. And whether the weather is fine or inclement, residents love gathering in the sunroom for Bible study, music, birdwatching, or book club.Fun things to do. At Columbia Cottage, even the activities are customized according to the residents care plan. Visiting clergy hold services. Residents gather around bingo, card games, and puzzles, or they can catch a flick on movie night in the bistro. A Mothers Day tea allowed residents to host family and friends for a springtime celebration.Medical care. Nurses are on staff 24/7, for rapid response to any medical concerns. Physicians, psychiatrists, dietitians, and beauticians visit regularly, for wellness in body and spirit. Onsite rehab helps residents achieve peak performance without traveling for appointments off campus.Memory Care: Columbia Cottage Linglestowns state-of-the-art memory care unit. Sensory stations include artworks that residents can touch for tactile stimulation. Access to a secure patio gives residents safe and secure access to the benefits of greenery. The Columbia Cottage Linglestown ice cream parlor is even located in the memory care neighborhood, for a treat that everyone can enjoy.All employees, working in memory care and all other neighborhoods, receive extra training in dementia care from a certified dementia practitioner, assuring that the behavioral needs of every resident are met.Like every Columbia Cottage community, Columbia Cottage Linglestown is nestled in the heart of a thriving community. Residents and their families have instant access to the restaurants, pharmacy, coffee shop, dry cleaner, microbrewery, and other services of Blue Ridge Village. Families can even live near their loved ones in Blue Ridge Villages choice of contemporary townhomes, single-family homes, apartments, and 55+ villas.For assisted living in homelike comfort, come to Columbia Cottage Linglestown, 1000 Alexandra Lane, Harrisburg, PA 17110. To schedule a tour or learn more, visit www.columbiacottage.com/locations/linglestown, or call 717-547-9781.