Moving a senior out of their home and into a new living environment can certainly be a daunting task. When you have the right guidance and support, though, you can create a stress-free experience for seniors as well as their family members.
One of the most important factors in this is educating seniors about the moving process and what they should expect as they’re preparing to transition into an assisted living facility or new home.
While many senior living communities have support and resources to help new residents with their relocation, it’s often very beneficial to hire a senior move manager to help you navigate every step of the process.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of these benefits, and how it works.
Benefits of Hiring Professionals
Senior move managers are well-versed and experienced with helping seniors relocate. As such, they can provide expert assistance and advice on everything from packing and moving to downsizing.
These professionals are involved in the moving process from start to finish, helping seniors and their families navigate the intricacies that are involved. In doing so, these companies provide a moving experience that’s free from stress and seamless.
Not only that, but leading senior moving companies can help with other aspects of moving, such as holding estate sales.
Choosing the Right Partner
Just as it is when you’re hiring any other professional, it’s important to thoroughly research and vet prospective senior moving companies. First and foremost, make sure the one that you choose is fully insured and has a good reputation in the field and among past customers.
Try to select a company that specializes in senior moving services and has experience working with seniors, as these moves can often be quite different than typical moves.
When you choose a leading provider of senior moving services such as Caring Transitions, you can rest assured knowing you are getting a range of solutions that will be tailored to meet the unique needs of every senior.
Of course, you should also weigh factors such as customer reviews, services offered and cost when making your final decision.
Understand Moving Options
When seniors are moving, they have multiple options. They could handle the move themselves, with the help of family and friends, or they could hire a professional moving company.
If you’re looking for a recommendation, check first with the community you’re moving into, especially if it’s a senior living community. They may be able to provide guidance on this based on positive experiences that some of their other residents have had in the past.
Not every moving service is created equal, though. As mentioned, it’s best to hire a mover who specializes in senior moves, as they can be quite unique.
Other things to consider include the distances of your move, what belongings you are taking with you, and any other special needs you might have.
Move Management Process
By hiring a senior move manager, you will be getting expert, hands-on service for every step of the process. They won’t just be packing, moving and unpacking your belongings for you.
These specialized companies will work with seniors and their families directly to create a moving plan that’s personalized to them, their needs and their preferences. In doing so, they will be creating a moving process that’s smooth and that removes possible stresses.
Not only that, but senior move managers can assist with things such as organizing, downsizing and estate sales.
Packing and Labeling Strategies
M
any people who are moving focus on the actual transportation of their belongings. Yet, a big part of the move process is packing — something that can be challenging for anyone, but especially for seniors who might have limited energy, strength and/or mobility.
Experienced senior move managers can provide assistance with packing as well as guidance on what is good to pack and even how to properly label your belongings so you know where everything is. Clearly labeling your boxes, after all, will help seniors keep a clear inventory of what they own.
Your senior move manager may suggest, for example, using room labels or a color-coding system to make the unpacking process easier and more efficient once everything has been moved into your new place.
Donating and Discarding
Many times, seniors have more belongings than they can, or want, to move to a new location with. At the same time, there are a lot of emotions associated with downsizing.
Still, this is often necessary when moving to an assisted living facility or even a new home.
Senior move managers can help seniors decide what items they want to keep, donate or discard, and they’ll do so in a caring and attentive way.
They can explain how donating gently-used items is a great way to not only give back to the community but also to reduce waste. They can also help setup and host an online auction or estate sale to sell any unwanted items that might have value.
Preparing for the Move
It can be overwhelming to prepare for a senior move, but if you have the right path carved out, it can be much more manageable.
A good place for seniors to start is to sort their belongings, pack the essence and arrange for the utilities to be transferred. Make sure that you’ve notified all friends, family members and other important services of your address change.
And, of course, seriously consider hiring an experienced senior moving company to handle all the logistics of the move itself.
Moving Day Logistics
On the day of your move, it’s essential to have a well-thought-out strategy to ensure a smooth and stress-free process. Senior moving managers can help seniors put a plan in place for things such as parking, loading and unloading belongings.
The professional movers can handle all of the logistics of the move, including, of course, the heavy lifting.
As with anything, it’s always good to have a backup plan in place in case you experience any unexpected issues or delays.
Unpacking and Settling In
It can take time and effort to unpack your belongings and settle into your new home, but a clear plan can certainly help.
It’s always a good idea to prioritize unpacking the essentials as soon as possible — including medications, toiletries and medications. This will ensure you have the basics, and start to make your new house feel like a home.
A senior moving company can help with the unpacking process and even assist with getting you organized and settled into your new place.
Once you’re there, take some time to get familiar with your new environment, and explore the surrounding area if possible.
New Home Setup
While setting up your new home can be exciting, it can also be an overwhelming feeling, too. That’s why prioritizing the essential items, such as setting up safety features and utilities, is essential so that you don’t miss the basics.
When you hire a senior moving company, you can remove the burden of moving and setting up appliances and furniture, which gives you sufficient time to do everything else.
As you begin to get comfortable and familiar with your home, you can make whatever adjustments are necessary to customizing it to your liking and needs.
Moving Services for Older Adults
A major benefit of hiring a moving service that specializes in senior moves is they can provide a range of solutions that will meet the unique needs of older adults. They can offer expert assistance and guidance on packing and moving, downsizing and estate sales, for example.
When you hire the right senior mover, you’ll be getting hands-on assistance to not only help you plan and execute your move, but also provide ongoing guidance and support as they oversee the entire process.
Conclusion and Final Tips
While senior moving can be a challenging process, it can actually be a stress-free experience when you have the right support and guidance. That’s why you should consider hiring an experienced and reputable senior move manager or senior moving company such as Caring Transitions to assist with the entire process.
Our experienced and licensed professionals can help you prioritize downsizing, packing and labeling belongings. We physically pack, move and unpack belongings. And we’re always there to help you with anything else you might need, every step of the way.
Our goal is to make your move as stress-free as possible, so you can enjoy your new home.
For more information, including scheduling a free consultation, please contact us today.