How The Downsizing Decision Affects Cleveland Retirees

John and Margi O’Brien have made this decision twice.

The first time, they left a century home they had lived in for more than two decades in Chagrin Falls’ historic district — a house with 4,200 square feet, a barn nearly its size, years of family memories and all the trappings that go along with milestones, travel and welcoming grandchildren.

Kids had played in the loft. Holidays had unfolded there. Nothing about this first move felt like a real estate transaction. Sure, it was a lot to manage. But they could handle the logistics themselves.

Plus, John O’Brien admits, “We cheated and got a storage unit close by.”

The O’Briens made what many older adults consider a compromise move: They downsized, but not all the way, moving to a condo in Bainbridge’s Chagrin Knolls community, where they lived for 12 years. It was a softer landing that worked at the time.

As Margi had said, “I’m really not ready to live in a retirement community at 70.”

Though some friends advised: Just make one move. No regrets, more memories and strong friendships grew from that chapter. 

Then came move No. 2.

A little more than three years ago, they moved to South Franklin Circle in Chagrin Falls, not far from their routines, doctors, grocery stores and friends. By then, the question wasn’t whether their home still fit their lives. It was about thinking ahead. They didn’t want a health crisis to force a decision, and most of all, compromising their family’s lives to care for them was off the table. The feeling is mutual among many aging adults, but the action is not so easy. It was for the O’Briens. 

The Emotional Math

Striking a balance between emotional attachment and practical reality is becoming more common as Northeast Ohio’s population ages. In Ohio, more than 1 in 4 residents will soon be over 60, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Still, most people wait. The average age of a person moving into senior housing is between 82 and 84, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care. Often, a health event accelerates the timeline, turning what could be a choice into a decision made under pressure.

“The question many older adults are asking is not just, ‘Should I move?’” says Lori Scarsella, sales director at South Franklin Circle. “It’s, ‘Is now the right time to move?’”

The answer often comes down to health, lifestyle, finances and a desire to simplify. Adult children may encourage planning. Widowed or solo homeowners may be feeling isolated. Others look around at unused rooms and a home that demands more each year, from yard work and snow removal to repairs and rising costs. For many retired adults, the family home is also their largest asset. Selling at the right time can unlock equity, reduce monthly costs and create more flexibility for whatever comes next. But while the financial logic may be clear on paper, that rarely makes the emotional side any easier. 

The hard part is not usually the move itself. Often, it is what the move represents. You’re not just sorting furniture and dishes,  you’re deciding what happens to the baby grand piano, the patio set, the holiday platters, the boxes of old photographs and the belongings saved for no reason except that they have always been there. 

“There are two ways to look at possessions,” O’Brien says. “One is ‘just in case,’ and the other is, ‘Let’s get rid of it because we will never use it again.’” 

Smart Sizing

Susan Kent, founder of Moving by Design, works with incoming residents at Judson communities and sees that emotional weight every day. Her job starts with floor plans and furniture measurements, but it often becomes something more personal. 

“A lot of what we do is the ministry of presence,” Kent says. “It helps to have someone at your elbow if you don’t have a family member who can do that for you — to help you talk through it and keep pushing you along so you don’t get lost down memory lane.” 

Moving, she says, is physically, emotionally and mentally taxing. And one of the biggest barriers is the belief that older adults should be able to manage it themselves. 

“‘I’m the only one who can clean this out,’” Kent says, describing a common mindset she hears. “Or, ‘I’ve always been independent and done this myself.’” 

But independence does not have to mean doing everything alone. With a growing ecosystem of help, a move is no longer entirely a DIY project. Retirement communities increasingly offer transition support. Senior move managers, organizers, estate sale companies and downsizing consultants have become a growing part of the process. Their role can include everything from space planning and sorting to coordinating movers, arranging donations and unpacking the new home so it feels settled on day one. 

At South Franklin Circle, that support was pivotal for the O’Briens. Before their move, Kent came to their condo, helped them prioritize what they wanted to keep and measured furniture and belongings. Then she returned with a floor plan of their new home showing what would fit and where. 

“All of a sudden, we could see that everything we really wanted and cared about could work,” O’Brien says. That visual plan gave the couple peace of mind and turned an abstract, overwhelming process into a concrete one. 

Kent also helped label boxes for movers and worked with them on the other end to help the new place feel like home. 

“If I had a penny for every time people tell me, ‘Now it feels like home,’” Kent says. “There’s something about getting the pictures up that makes it feel like a home.” 

Lou Kayatin, business development manager at Eyring Movers, says this kind of support is often what makes the difference between a move that feels unmanageable and one that gives a client peace of mind.

“There is certainly a Midwestern DIY attitude,” he says. “But everything doesn’t have to be all or nothing.” 

Some clients need full-service help. Others just need a few hours with a transition specialist to solve the one sticking point keeping them from moving forward — space planning, sorting sentimental belongings or helping parents and adult children talk through the process at the same pace. 

Home Again Transitions, a division of Eyring Movers, helps older adults move into independent living, assisted living or memory care, or simplify the home so they can age in place more safely. General manager Jen Llado says the work often starts with listening. 

“What is really important to you?” she asks clients. “What makes you feel comfortable? What makes you feel at home?” 

From there, the goal is not simply to reduce belongings, but to make the next stage of life livable. This can mean arranging a move or clearing pathways for a walker, reducing clutter, removing trip hazards or helping a recently widowed homeowner sort through a spouse’s belongings over time. 

“There needs to be trust,” Llado says. “Those questions usually don’t come out in the first meeting. It’s about getting to know them, them getting to know us and establishing a relationship.”

Now or Later?

For many families, the biggest sticking point is timing. Not because the pros and cons are unclear, but because it’s hard to know when “not yet” becomes “too late.” 

Some older adults tell Scarsella they are too young for retirement living, even when they are in their 70s or 80s. Others assume senior living means giving something up. In reality, many of today’s communities look and feel more like lifestyle choices than institutional settings. 

The downsizing decision is increasingly shaped by quality-of-life goals, not just care needs. For the O’Briens, one factor that tipped the scales was watching others close to them wait too long. 

There was also the appeal of South Franklin Circle and its restaurant, social life, pool, plus the people they already knew there. O’Brien says, “It’s like living in a country club in many ways.” 

The move also came together faster than expected, which is why putting a plan in place earlier is better. The O’Briens joined a waiting list, thinking they might have a couple of years. Instead, an opening came within months. This is another reason experts urge families not to wait until the last possible moment. A desired unit can become available suddenly. A health setback can accelerate a timeline overnight. A move that could have been planned over six or 12 months can become a rushed transition from rehab or the hospital. 

“There really is no too-early timeline,” Llado says, quickly adding that adult children and extended family need to follow their loved one’s pace if there is a choice. “This may be a multi-month or yearslong experience, and it’s important to come with some empathy for where mom or dad is currently at in their lives.”  

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