Many people choose to stay in their own home, making adaptations where necessary to continue to live independently. However, when our medical and physical needs change, choices need be made about selling up and moving somewhere that offers great accessibility and the additional care needed.
This is the dilemma Pam and her husband Tim faced, when after 23 years of living in their Peterborough property, Tim’s mobility problems meant their house was becoming impractical.
“We loved the location of our house, close enough to the city, but far enough away that it still had an old village atmosphere with a great local pub. Our house backed onto the river, and we had a mooring for a narrow boat for many years,” explained Pam. “But, with my advancing age and Tim not being able to walk anymore, it meant we couldn’t take the boat out and I needed extra help to care for Tim. After looking at our options, we both decided moving to an assisted living property would be the best decision for us so we could both get the support we needed.”
Finding ‘the one’
Pam and Tim not only wanted to ensure the move catered for their ongoing health needs, but also to make sure their family was close by and able to pop in for visits.
Looking at options locally to their daughter in Cardiff, Pam and Tim saw an advertisement for McCarthy Stone retirement community that offered the facilities and assistance they were looking for. “We went to visit Thomas
Court and fell in love with a lovely ground floor 2-bed apartment. It had a large hallway that was perfect for Tim’s wheelchair, along with an accessible wet room and patio doors onto the shared gardens,” explained Pam. “We decided pretty quickly this was where we wanted to be, and as it was close to my daughters house, it ticked all the boxes for us.”
The best option to move forward
With their dream property found, but their Peterborough home still to sell in order to make the move, Pam and Tim spoke with the team at Thomas Court to discuss their options. “I’d seen McCarthy Stone advertising Part-Exchange with their partner Spring and following a recommendation by the team, it appealed to us very much,” said Pam. “We didn’t want the disappointment of this move not happening, so by using Spring’s Part-
Exchange service, we now had a firm start date for our downsizing plans and the move into our new home.”
“I thought that the whole concept was good, it alleviated the worry of the many ‘what ifs’ that are always present when moving house, and at the ripe old age of eighty-four and with a seriously disabled husband, I wanted the move to go as smoothly as possible.”
Making the move
Moving house can be stressful at the best of times, even with perfect health. For Pam and Tim, the move wasn’t just a case of packing boxes and booking a removal van, everything needed careful and meticulous planning to make sure Tim could be transported safely and comfortably to their new home. “We had a long journey, and I hired a private ambulance. We needed to have the use of our house and medical equipment in Peterborough, whilst
the Cardiff house was being equipped with the same items, so that when we arrived in Cardiff, my husband’s room and everything he needed would be ready for him,” explained Pam.
As a standard feature of Spring’s Part-Exchange service, customers are given a free ‘License to Occupy’ which provides an extra 28 days post completion to access their old property. And, for Pam and Tim, this was an essential part of making the move happen.
Our dream home
Now all settled in, Pam and Tim are thoroughly enjoying this new chapter of their lives. “We are both making the most all the facilities at Thomas Court and Tim can access all the communal areas in his wheelchair. We are delighted with our apartment; the kitchen has got all the gadgets we need, and the second bedroom has proven invaluable allowing us to get all of Tim’s specialist equipment set up.” said Pam.
“The last unpacked box was emptied this week and I am now able to arrange things as I would like to. We are very happy and couldn’t have made the move without using Part-Exchange. I would recommend Spring to family and friends, the overall service was excellent, and the team was professional, friendly, and competent.”
For more information about Part-Exchange and how we can help you move to the retirement home of your dreams, contact our team today.
