What sparked the idea?
WASATCH TRANSITIONS began as an idea built from practical experience based on an immediate need to provide my family with a better solution to their condition. My father had Alzheimer’s and he and my mother ended up moving from their home of over 20 years to a condo in Salt Lake. After a few years there, he required more care and was moved to a higher level of care facility. He was there until the last few months of his life when he was transferred to the VA facility. My mother was the one who took on most of the burden of his care, assisted by her children when needed. With each move, the family was able to help but it made you realize what a big burden these homes and caring for them, along with the one who has the disease.
My former mother-in-law was in a care facility in California and needed more family support and also needed to find a facility that was not such a high level of care. She had limited resources so that was a challenge. She called me to see if I could help. She was originally from Utah and wanted to move closer to family. This led me to discover some of the housing resources for seniors on a fixed income. We moved her to Utah and she lived in a beautiful brand new facility for low income seniors until she passed away a few years later. The move proved to be a good choice. Her last years were happier because she was able to see her family far more often and receive help when necessary.
My in-laws found it necessary to sell their home and move into an assisted living facility. This was very difficult for them since they had lived in their home for about 30 years. Although in pretty good health, the house and yard just got to be too much for them. I did witness how hard it was on them to downsize and give up their much beloved home and familiar neighborhood as they transitioned to an assisted living facility. They were happy there for a few years until their health declined and they needed a higher level of care. Unfortunately, my father-in-law‘s health declined to where he need to be in a full-care facility just after they moved to the second, higher level of care, assisted living facility. He died not too long after being moved into the full-care facility. That left my mother-in-law to be on her own for a few months until she moved in with my husband and I for the last 9 months of her life. This opened my eyes to how inadequate my house was for a wheelchair and safe bathroom facilities.
Meanwhile, my mother, had been living at a retirement home after she moved from her downtown condo, which she enjoyed very much. When her dementia progressed, she had to be moved to an assisted living facility and then to memory care where she lived until she passed away. This process is emotionally draining on the family but it made me very aware of all the parts necessary to make sure your loved one is getting cared for in the best way possible.
Having had these experiences and knowing how heart wrenching it is for the aging parents and the children and relatives involved in their care, really sparked me to create Wasatch Transitions to assist the clients and their families when faced with these situations. I remember having absolutely no idea where to turn in each of these scenarios. If, through my design training, my renovation experience and personal involvement in these steps and situations, I can help others through this process and maybe help make someone’s burden a little lighter, then that makes me happy. That is what also prompted me to get the CAPS training (Certified Aging in Place) to better know what can be done to modify a space so people can stay in their homes and live independently if that’s what they choose.
I have also been involved in over 115 renovations of my own with investment properties as well as my own residence. It is definitely a passion of mine.
