Linda Gaiser has been living in her new home since Feb. 8. After her husband died, she said it took her a year to decide to look for a new home.

BUTLER TWP — A new resident of The Courtyards at Krendale said she was glad she took the time to think through her decision to downsize — and that she's happy she chose it.

Linda Gaiser has been living in her new home since Feb. 8. After her husband died, she said it took her a year to decide to look for a new home.

“My house was very large, and I decided I needed something more manageable,” she said.

Gaiser said it also took time for her to find her new house — and what was important for her.

Beth Herold, Butler County Area Agency on Aging administrator, said there's no “cookie cutter approach” to finding a new home for seniors looking for a lifestyle change.

“Different people might have different needs,” Herold said. “Some may be downsizing, some may be looking for a home that their adult children can move into to help them.”

For people who are 55 and older and looking at homes, Herold said she's heard people want everything from a smaller, one-level home to a larger place where more family can live to assist with day-to-day tasks to a retirement community that provides many services for them.

For people who might want less responsibility, Herold said there are options in which lawn care doesn't need to be a factor.

“We bring up options of the 'over 55 condos' that we have in the community that become a very good option for people,” she said. “They become almost a social network for people living in that community with dinners, card games and other socialization.”

Some items on Gaiser's checklist included a one-level home and an attached garage so she “could come right in with groceries.” She said she wanted to have it “as maintenance free as I could.

“I'm in a patio home where they take care of the yard,” she said. “Some of these communities have a community center, and that was one thing that I kind of looked into, but I opted out of it. It was something I didn't think I would use.”

Herold added that financial situations also need to be considered when looking for new homes as you age.

“Looking at assets,” she said. “If you're 60 and still working and buying a house, what's that going to look like after retirement? Is it affordable?”A few physical barriers to consider, she said, are the number of stairs both inside and outside a home, lawn care maintenance, public transportation options and even the width of doorways and hallways.“(In) some older homes, the doors are very narrow, and the bathrooms are very cramped,” Herold said. “It can be difficult to get a wheelchair or a walker through.”Accessibility is a key component when looking at living facilities, no matter your age, she said.Herold added that it's never too early to start thinking about what might be helpful in the future — even in your 30s.“I think at any age — 30s, 40s, 50s — you have to look at 'What is my life going to be? If I break my leg, can I stay in this house?'”Herold said that, if you're intending to buy a house, raise a family, and live there for the rest of your life, you might want to consider making sure the house is fully accessible for all stages of life. A full bathroom on the first floor or the option to move laundry facilities to a garage or spare bedroom are things to consider in multilevel homes if they are to be “forever homes.”“Everybody wants to stay in the home they've raised their children in, that they've built, that's out in the country,” Herold said. “But, as you age, it becomes very difficult to make that a reality.”She said she recommends for all people buying homes to err on the side of caution because circumstances can easily change — from breaking a leg in your 30s to needing an easier lifestyle on your knees in your 60s, a home needs to be equipped to handle any lifestyle change.The biggest advice Gaiser could give to other people looking to move on from their homes is to stay true to yourself and “just take your time and think it through before you take that leap.”“Don't let family talk you out of bringing some of your personal items,” she said. “Everybody kept telling me 'oh, get rid of it,' and I'm glad I didn't get rid of everything.”