If your senior-aged loved one has decided to move into a retirement home, you might wonder how you can help. After all, moving from his or her home can be tough enough as it is. Dealing with your loved one’s possessions can be quite a job. Leaving a familiar environment to move somewhere new can be overwhelming. After having been in the same house for years there are many wonderful memories of happy times spent there. Here are four tips to help make the transition smooth;
1. Take things one step at a time and plan in advance.
This move is something that is thought about and planned for months, or even years, in advance. When possible, it’s important to start early and to work on things slowly. Your loved one might be unable to work on sorting, organizing and packing up items for too long at once. Starting slowly and spreading the job out over weeks or months can be helpful. This way no one will feel too overwhelmed or left out of the decision making.
2. Consider renting a storage unit
There is a good chance that your loved one has a fairly full home and it won’t all fit into their living space. Often items are intended for family members or friends and will be dispersed in the future. Having a storage unit will give you a safe and relatively affordable place to keep these items until you are ready to make those decisions. This takes some of the pressure off of your loved one and allows them to focus on what they DO want to take with them.
3. Make the new apartment feel like home as quickly as possible
Getting used to living in a retirement home is an adjustment but making the new place feel like home as quickly as possible can help. When packing and moving items, make sure that essentials and a few personal favourites are moved first, such as important pictures and other treasures. Hang pictures and organize the room to resemble the feel of the house that was moved out of.
4. Hire professional movers
Remember to give Mike the Mover a call when you need to move your loved ones to their new retirement home. We take special care of our senior citizens. We give them all of the information they will need and assist them along the way. Knowing that your possessions are in good hands allows you to focus on the emotional transition while we do the rest. We go the extra mile. Call Mike the Mover at (519) 822-0298 or go to www.mikethemover.ca for a free quote.