Moving to a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) is a major life transition, and for many, the most overwhelming part is deciding what to do with a lifetime’s worth of belongings. In this episode, Pam Fultz, Senior Community Relations Manager at Vi, speaks with Jamie Shapiro, founder of Silver Linings Transitions, Certified Senior Advisor, and Certified Senior Move Manager about how to navigate the emotional and practical challenges of sorting, preserving, and letting go.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Emotional Attachment to Possessions: Why letting go of items can feel like letting go of identity or legacy.
• The Cost of Avoidance: How not having these conversations can impact family relationships.
• Creative Solutions for Preserving Memories: Family Zoom show-and-tells, digitizing photos, and using tools like Artifcts.com.
• Letting Go Thoughtfully: Tips like the “dining room table test” and starting with “low-hanging fruit.”
• Advice for Estate Planners and Families: How professionals can encourage legacy planning through meaningful conversation.
• Humor and Empathy: The value of lightness and compassion during a deeply personal process.

Memorable Quotes:

• “We feel like if our stuff carries on, then so will we.”
• “If you don't make those decisions for your family, you don't know what the aftermath is gonna be.”
• “Sometimes the picture of the item means just as much as the tangible item.”
• “You can't park two cars in a two-car garage, you might have an issue with stuff.”
• “It took you 50, 60 years to accumulate these things. Don't expect that you're going to make those decisions in one week.”

Resources:

• Learn more about Jamie Shapiro and Silver Linings Transitions at: [Insert website link]
• Explore photo preservation at: https://thephotomanagers.com/
• Share stories of cherished items with: https://artifcts.com/
• Find out more about Vi Living at our Website: https://www.viliving.com/

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