Each year it's estimated that roughly 6.7% of the United States population moves every year. Moving is already a difficult life experience, regardless of who you are. However, it gets even more challenging to move elderly individuals into retirement communities.
Compared to other types of moves, transitioning to senior living requires significant downsizing. Not only that, but you also need to worry about paperwork and medical forms for the senior living community.
To stay organized you need to come up with a complete checklist for moving elderly parents into assisted living communities. To make the experience easier for you, we've compiled this list of essential things that should be on your checklist. That way, you don't forget any important steps during the process.
You don't want to leave the amount of furniture you move to your new space up to guesswork. Otherwise, on moving day you'll likely be stuck with pieces you can't fit.
Because of this, you should make sure that you request photos and floor plans from the retirement community when preparing parents for senior living. Ideally, you should also do an on-site visit to get a better sense of the size and shape of your room.
Next, make a list of the furniture pieces you can't live without. Measure them, then compare the size to the floor plan. If they don't fit, you'll need to consider donating or selling them.
Remember, you also need to think about wall space during this process. If your parents have lots of artwork and pictures, you'll also need to think carefully about what goes where.
Moving elderly parents can be more challenging than a regular move. As such, you shouldn't just call the nearest and cheapest movers you can find. Instead, look for ones that either specialize or have experience with senior moves.
Once you find a few options, look into their online reviews to see what the average person's experience has been. You should also check to make sure they're licensed and insured.
When you've found a good option, call them to ask for a price estimate. From there, you can schedule them for the move-in date. If you have any particularly heavy furniture, like, say, a hospital bed, make sure they're equipped to handle it.
If you want an efficient move, one of the best senior living transition tips is to stay organized. One of the best ways to do this is by making a physical packing list of everything you need.
You should also include different tasks you need to do, like coordinating with the retirement home or scheduling GoodWill runs. These types of checklists are important because they let you know how much work you have ahead.
That way, it doesn't all fall on one stress-filled day. There's also a sense of satisfaction that comes with checking something off the senior living checklist, which can motivate you and your parents to get started.
Odds are your parents have lived in the same house for decades. If this is the case, then they'll likely accumulate a whole bunch of furniture, keepsakes, and junk.
When someone moves to a senior living community, they're almost always going from a larger space to a smaller one.
As such, a lot of their personal belongings are going to have to go during the downsizing process. You should start with the things that are easy or logical to get rid of. This might include stuff like:
In many cases, your parents might have a hard time letting go of things. If that's the case, you have a few options available. First, you can either put the items in storage indefinitely.
The only problem is that this represents an additional expense. Another option is to give things like furniture and clothes to family or friends. That way, it's still getting some use.
Different senior living communities will have different intake processes. That being said, most will require the new resident to fill out forms and take tests to evaluate their overall health.
Specifically, they will determine if you have any pre-existing health conditions that require care. They also see if you need help with any activities of daily living (or ADL).
This includes things like bathing or dressing. During this time you want to communicate with team members so that they know more about both the needs and preferences of your parents.
Lastly, you will need to transfer any medical records and prescriptions that your parents might take to the senior living community.
It's time to deal with the logistics, which means a little bit of paperwork. First, you should complete any paperwork the assisted living community requires before the move.
Next, cancel services like water, electricity, internet, and phone from your old address. Talk to the community to see which of these utilities they provide. In some cases, you might need to provide your own.
Lastly, complete a change-of-address form with the United States Postal Service.
This will ensure that any of your mail is forwarded to your new address. In addition, update your voter registration and let family members and friends know about the move. That way, they know where to reach you.
We hope this guide to senior living move provided you with a complete checklist for moving elderly parents into senior living. Here at the Watermark at Westwood Village, we know that the moving process can be incredibly stressful for seniors.
That's why our knowledgeable team members can help you prepare for the big day. Whether it's connecting you to local moving companies, or offering downsizing workshops, we're here to help.
So if you're ready to begin your or your parent's retirement journey, get in touch with us today.