Excerpt from the Winter 2025 Extension
Are you, or someone you know, helping to care for a “more senior” member of your family or a close friend? Is that person approaching a time in life when a change in their living arrangements is imminent?
Having experienced this scenario myself in the last year, I wanted to share information about a local company that offers a comprehensive array of services in a most personal and caring way.
Next Steps Senior Transitions was founded in 2009 by Allen Nelson. A tech manager by profession, he started the company after being downsized and recognized that his passion was not working with computers, but rather with senior adults and their families who needed assistance with the myriad details associated with downsizing, moving, and more.
Allen works with his team of six staff and family-owned business vendors to meet all requested needs of his customers. In some cases, the individual(s) chooses to stay in their home, but wants to reorganize and reduce their belongings to stay comfortable and safe. If a move to assisted living is determined, Allen meets with the individual and family to identify potential communities, select home furnishings and personal items for the new location and arrange for movers and staff to set everything in place. Once the senior is settled, the company can help family members with the coordination of details associated with the previous residence. In my situation, the home had furniture and special things that needed to be temporarily stored. Next Steps Senior Transitions played a major role in the careful boxing, packaging, and transporting of said items. The cleaning crew made sure that the house was spotless and all trash was removed in preparation for the realtor’s responsibilities (and if we had needed to find a realtor, they would have helped with that).
When I said that this was all done in a caring and personal way, I meant it. The family I was assisting wanted certain items to be stored for a future memorial service. Allen’s team, which had all stored boxes labeled before being transferred, made certain that those boxes were conveniently and visibly placed in the storage unit. He followed up with me and family members upon completion of all requested tasks to ask how things were going and whether we required any additional help. As he says, “Every transition is unique. If it matters to you, it matters to us.”
There are many other services they offer, including the coordination of shipments to loved ones, donations to charity, shredding, and paint/chemical removal. They even do home checks for snowbirds, short-term rehab patients, and vacationers in the South Dayton area. Allen’s small business totally supports other small businesses and only works with family-owned companies.
Let’s face it. Life changes can be overwhelming. It’s important to know that there are people who can provide important services with compassion, grace, and a very high level of competence. Anyone with questions can email Allen at info@nextstepstransitions.com. The website address is www.nextstepstransitions.com.
