If you’re helping your elderly parents move into a new home, whether it be your house, downsizing to a condo, or a retirement home, you likely have a few questions. How do you talk to them about the move? How do you effectively aid them in having a smooth transition? How can you best help them while remaining compassionate to the situation?
We’ll answer all of these questions and more in this article. These are a few tips for those moving their elderly parents. Here, we’ll go over everything that you need to know.
Having “The Talk”
The first step in this process should be having “the talk” with your elderly parents. You’ve probably been dreading this and it can be difficult, especially if they’re currently living with you.
Many get emotionally attached to the place that they call home, so it’s very important to do this the right way.
Be Empathetic
First of all, be empathetic. Before having “the talk,” put yourself in your parent’s shoes. Approach the situation the way you’d prefer it to be approached, were you in their position. This might mean involving them in the planning process. This life change can seem like a loss of freedom for some.
Be Inclusive
If at all possible, don’t make too many of the decisions without their input. They’ll feel much better about the situation if they’re included, so the sooner you talk to them about it the better. Before planning the move, talk to your parents about it.
Show them a few of the potential moving options and take their preferences into account. This will help with their transition, and it’s a great way to make sure they’re comfortable and happy in their new home.
Planning for the Move
Once you’ve talked to your parents about moving, it’s time for action. A lot can go into a big move, and it’s important to consider all aspects. Read on to learn all about the process of moving and how to make the transition go as smoothly as possible.
Consider Your Options
Before you actually begin the process of moving your elderly parent or parents, you’ll need to consider all of your options. Again, it’s very important that you involve your parents to some degree in this part of the process.
Will they downsize to a condo? Will they move in with you? Or is a nursing home the best option? These are important questions to consider when you’re helping with residential moving.
Nail the Logistics
Perfect logistical planning is simple as long as you follow the right steps. The first thing that you should consider in terms of logistics is financial planning. Make sure the cost of your parent’s new home is realistically achievable.
Once you’ve considered the costs of all your home options, you’ll have narrowed down your options a little. Once you’ve narrowed your options down, all that’s left is to make a final decision.
Again:
It’s very important to involve your parents in this decision.
Once you’ve gone over the options with them and you’ve chosen a suitable home, you can actually begin the planning and moving process.
One of the first things you should consider when planning out the logistics is transportation. You should know how you’re going to move your parents and their various belongings. Consider furnishings, decorations, personal items, etc.
Take into account everything that they’ll be taking with them as well as the amount of space that’ll be allotted to them in their new home. Help them decide where everything is going to go. If there isn’t enough space, you may need to look into a storage unit.
Your transportation options really depend on the kind of vehicle you have. If you have a large truck, you might be able to handle moving everything on your own. Likewise, if you have a generous friend with a truck, you might end up saving a lot on a rented moving truck.
On the other hand, if you don’t have any kind of access to a large truck, you might be stuck with the rental option. If you want to make things a lot easier on yourself, you could even consider using a moving company.
Sort and Organize Belongings
Once you know where everything is going and how you’re going to get it there, it’s time to put in the elbow grease. Start packing and labeling boxes as soon as possible.
Waiting until the last minute will only make things harder.
If you’ve already considered where everything is going to go as we previously recommended, this part of the process will be a lot easier so labeling, organizing, and moving boxes should be very straightforward.
Keep the size of the next property in mind when deciding which belongings to keep, donate, and sell. You don’t want to get there and find out you only have room for half of your things.
Ask for Help
If you aren’t using a moving company, it can never hurt to ask for some help. Reach out to friends and family members who can assist with cleaning, organizing, and packing. Chances are, a few of them will be willing to lend a hand. When moving is too overwhelming, a few extra recruits can make all the difference.
Moving Day
If you’ve followed all of these steps, most of the moving process is already done. Once moving day finally approaches, all that’s left for you to do is move. Load your packed boxes into your vehicle or moving truck and relocate them.
This part, in particular, will be a lot easier if you call in the help of friends and family or use a professional moving service. Depending on the number of possessions your parents have, this might not be necessary. However, if there’s a lot to be moved, those options are always worth considering.
How to Move Your Elderly Parents
Moving on your own can be very tricky and rather draining. However, moving someone else can come with several unique dilemmas. If you’re moving your elderly parents and need some guidance, hopefully, we’ve shed some light on some great tips for moving into a smaller place. Consider saving this article for future reference so you have all of the steps right at your fingertips.
