Senior Moves

The Best Move

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette state-wide newspaper recently asked me to be "The Expert" for their monthly column, and it was published yesterday.  My new business Your Best Move is based upon the knowledge gained over many years of helping people make big transitions.  Here is some advice I shared in that column.

Moving is never easy.  When the person moving is a senior and the transition is to a much smaller home, the logistical and emotional issues and complications can be exponentially higher.   Some tips to help smooth the process:

 

     1.  Keep physical needs uppermost in mind – both for a successful downsizing process and for safety and comfort in her new home.  Respect for their thoughts and decisions and a huge dose of patience will be helpful too. 

     2.  Use the expertise of the complex that will be their new home.  They work with new residents and families every day and have a lot of good advice to offer. 

  

     3. Start as early as possible in the sorting and downsizing.  Include all appropriate family members in the decision making and request their help.  Understand that unfortunately you cannot count on every family member being a positive influence in the moving process.

       4.  Get a floor plan of the new space and determine what of their current furniture will fit.  Begin with the largest pieces – bed, dresser, sofa, chairs, etc.   Once those are selected choose the necessary lamps and other accessories to fill the space.   Bright lighting is essential for comfort and safety, and be very careful not to over-stuff the apartment.   Avoid adding anything that might impede them maneuvering about the space.

          5. Measure the clothes hanging space and compare the length to what he/she has hanging now - then make plans to either store any excess offsite or to give it away.   Many senior living spaces have much less storage than family homes, so take only what you know will fit comfortably and leave some room to grow in the future.

           6. The really difficult part is often parting with a lifetime of treasures.  Plan for this to take some time as it is physically, mentally and emotionally taxing to sort through the items and help them make good decisions about their dispersal.  Ask more questions – make fewer assumptions and demands.

            7.  Typically seniors have an easier time when sharing their items with family.  If this is not possible, discuss potential charities that might resonate with them – supporting these groups can make the senior feel much better about losing their things.  If family members will be picking up items, set a firm date when they must complete the process.   This is very often an issue.

      8.   Distribution of other items – do your research in the local area to find the best solution for your family.   Options include yard sales, tag sales, auctions, selling online (ebay, Craig’s List), or simply donating, recycling, or trashing.  As in everything, convenience comes at a cost.

         9.  Take lots of pictures of anything that is going away.   It’s quick and easy with a phone or digital camera.  This can be valuable for insurance, legal, and potential family concerns.  Most importantly they can still have the photos to reminisce and to share with younger family members.

        10.  If possible have the senior stay with a friend or elsewhere on the day of the move.  It is often upsetting to actually see items that will no longer be part of her life being left behind.  Set up the new home completely including hanging pictures, making the bed, installing a TV, putting away clothes, adding accessories that they loved before, and anything else to make it feel like home from the very beginning when they arrive. 

     Pets should spend the day elsewhere during the actual move.  There will be lots of strangers and busy feet moving around.  Add to that open doors and general chaos,  and it becomes upsetting and possibly dangerous for fur babies.

     11.  If you have limited time or there are physical or geographical issues consider hiring a senior move manager for all or part of the move.  These experts have training, experience, and a network of resources to ensure a smooth transition.  An objective outside opinion can be extremely valuable when dealing with all the complexities of emotions, memories, physical needs, intrinsically valuable items, and multiple family members.