Ida (82) used to be a businessman and restaurant owner in central Switzerland. He has three children, 6 daughters and 6 great-grandchildren. Recently, he lives in a 2-bedroom apartment in an apartment building with an elevator:
My problem was many stairs. There were 46 steps from the entrance to my apartment. I’m still fine, but there comes a time when you can’t handle it well anymore. That was the case with my husband and my partner. At the end of their lives, both had great difficulty climbing stairs.
I had a nice big 5 room apartment, which I really liked. My husband and I renovated it ourselves after we passed the business on to our son. That was over 25 years ago now. Although the apartment was very nice, the situation became difficult over time. I needed a car to go shopping. This worried me more and more, especially in winter. But I don’t see the possibility of changing the situation, because I had the right of residence. And because I only have AHV, I could not just afford an apartment elsewhere. When one day my daughter shyly asked if she would have my apartment, I was really happy. It is good for him and his partner to have an apartment at home. For me it was a big change, but also an opportunity. That’s how we took the “change of residence” project. I could not have done it without the help of my sons and daughters. You searched the internet for affordable 2 bedroom apartments and we set up a “moving chat”. I don’t do much with my cell phone, but it’s useful for WhatsApp messages. Sometimes I had to buy new furniture because the new apartment is much smaller and needs to be well furnished. They helped me there too.
The big question: What comes and what goes?
For the search, we defined some criteria that were important to me: an affordable price, a good location near stores, an elevator, a balcony and, if possible, a shower instead of a bath. The apartment that I found now meets almost all criteria. Only the bathroom is not better because it has a bathtub. But I asked the owner to put up a handle for me. That’s fine now. I’m still fine. I go to Aquafit once a week and to the gym two or three times a week. This is also easier to achieve now than before. Since I moved I don’t need my car anymore, I’m selling it.
Today I am very happy that I live in the new apartment and that we have found a solution with the finances. The hardest part was not knowing if I would find a suitable apartment. I looked at some apartments and noticed right away if they didn’t fit. If you have a good feeling, you must make a decision quickly and of course you must be lucky to get the offer.
Important photos should find a nice place again.
The preparation of the kidney was tiring, but also interesting. I have given many wonderful things. My daughter sold some furniture on the Internet. Because I had two eye surgeries shortly after handing over the key, we decided to move slowly. The moving company didn’t come until six weeks after they handed over the keys. So I wasn’t really home anywhere for a while. I could take enough time to get used to the new apartment. Little by little I was able to clean the basement, adjust the curtains and sit on the balcony for a bit. Moving day was stressful, but luckily I had help. Now I have time to settle down here and I’m happy that everything went well. The movement changes my daily habits. I’m still exploring the area and figuring out how to reorganize my social life. With a move like this, you have to live with ambiguity and trust that things will turn out well.
Previous articles in the “Housing Stories” series:
Goodbye family apartment
share destiny with brother
In the column: Because the history of housing has always fascinated me, I talk to people in the last third of their lives on the subject of housing. What is the importance of the apartment for a person? At what stage of life are you looking for a new apartment? What is important to people? I always look forward to meeting interesting people and their living stories.