All we know is that we're busy getting things organized around our office and gearing up for an incredibly busy and exciting Fall.
Here are some of the things we're up to this month:
TIFF - Toronto International Film Festival
The Divas are planning to attend a number of films - premiers, documentaries, cartoons...and looking forward to seeing "STILL", a "love story about a couple in their twilight years. Veterans James Cromwell and Genevieve Bujold are nothing short of magnificent." Sounds like a winner to us!
ICD - Institute for Challenging Disorganization - Conference
Gail and I are thrilled to be going to Chicago from September 20 -24, to present our "Walk in their shoes" workshop at the ICD Conference. Our presentation is an age-sensitivity training workshop designed to give participants a better idea of the additional challenges their senior clients might be facing as they tackle the issues of organizing and downsizing.
Everyone tells us we must take a day or two after Conference and explore Chicago, so we're compiling our "to do" list and counting the days!
Photo Organizing - an exciting NEW Diva Service
Diva Judi is caught up in the excitement of photo organizing so, beginning this fall, we will be offering photo organizing as our newest Diva service. We are very excited and, over the next few weeks, Judi has agreed to help us create our own photo books. YIPPEE!
And now on to some more downsizing information;
Did you know...
more than 75% of the people over 60
feel trapped by their stuff?
In a recent New York Times article by Paula Span, "Possession Paralysis Revisited", University of Kansas gerontologist, David J. Ekerdt's work with seniors and their stuff was profiled.
David and his team were investigating whether the sheer volume of possessions that old people have acquired over many decades can become an obstacle to late-life downsizing.
Everyone assumes it's true, and Dr. Ekerdt could see why it would be. Divesting is a daunting process. "It's physical work and it's cognitive work" -- especially when real estate closings or apartment leases set deadlines and create greater pressure...it's emotional as well."
In January, we attended the National Association for Senior Move Managers Conference and had the opportunity to hear Dr. Ekerdt discuss the responses to questions his team had included in the 2010 National Health and Retirement Study.
According to Dr. Ekerdt, The results "confirm all the anecdotal things that lawyers and geriatricians and families tell us: Stuff can be a problem."
About 85% of Americans say they want to remain in their homes as they age. One of the reasons people want to age in place is to avoid the sheer volume of work involved in going through their stuff.
Check out this link to read the rest of the story:
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/possession-paralysis-revisited/
