Third Coast Move Managers

Senior Moving Guide: 12 Tips to Plan & Organize for a Seamless Move

third_coast_admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 13:41:07 +0000

Knowing how to help a senior moving from one living situation to another can be difficult for a lot of reasons. The person may be leaving a home they’ve held for years — possibly their entire life — that is filled with memories and personal items, for example. They also might be relocating for reasons beyond their control, such as an unexpected illness or mobility issue.

Whatever the situation, the process of a senior moving themselves, and their possessions, can involve a lot of stressful steps. There’s a lot to do to prepare for such a transition, and that can be overwhelming. This senior moving guide aims to make that process a lot simpler for everyone involved.

How to Help a Senior Moving Onto a New Living Phase

The easiest way to handle any large task is to break it down into smaller, bite-sized chunks. Helping a senior relocate to a new living situation is no different! Handle the process in three easy-to-follow phases, and you’ll have your loved one settled into their new home in no time.

The Planning Phase Checklist

Every big change or event requires planning before you execute it. Sit down with your senior loved one to discuss everything you’ll need to get done. This list will help:

1. Decide Where You’re Moving

This may seem obvious, but some seniors only know that they cannot continue to live in the place they do by themselves. Take time to discuss the appropriate living situation, whether that is downsizing to a smaller home or apartment, moving in with family, or opting for a retirement or senior living community.

2. Understand How Much Space You’ll Have

Regardless of where the senior moving will end up, they will likely have less space for their belongings. Downsizing requires parting with items they no longer need, a process that requires understanding how much space they’ll have.

3. Make a List of Where Your Items Will Go

Once you know how much space the senior will have, you can easily determine how much they’ll have to part with and where they would like those items to go. Make a list of the recipients, including deep storage, family members, charities, Goodwill, items to be listed for sale, and items to be thrown away.

4. List Out Utilities and Other Items That Will Need to Be Updated

You’ll likely see this list grow throughout the process, but you’ll need to reach out to a real estate professional to sell the property, turn off any utilities accounts listed in the senior’s name, and change addresses on long-term accounts. Most of these cannot be done until the senior has officially left the home or acquired a new address, but it’s good to making the list early so nothing gets overlooked.

Undertaking a planning phase will help the rest of the process go off without a hitch. Working with a team of senior relocation experts who know exactly what to plan (and how to execute it) can make a difference, too, as they will think of many things that you likely will not.

The Preparation Phase Checklist

Planning to help a senior moving on to a new life phase is the first part, but preparing for that move is just as important. During this phase, you will:

Assist the senior in sorting their belongings, some to keep and bring with them, others to pass down to family and friends, and others to part with entirely.
Help them determine which items they would like to donate or sell.
Set up deep storage if the senior needs it for family heirlooms and other items that will not fit in their new dwelling.
Ensure the senior can account for important documents for health, finances, personal, legal, and more. The last thing you want is for these items to accidentally get thrown away!
Pack up the items they are bringing with them.
Set up the senior’s new accommodations by helping them become residents at a senior living or retirement community, ensuring they have a space with a family member or friend, or assisting them with procuring a new apartment.
Contact a real estate agent about listing the senior’s current property.
Contract moving services or rentals to help them move their items to the new location when move-in day comes.

The preparation phase can be time consuming. You’re helping a senior sort through an entire lifetime of treasured
possessions and accumulated items, after all! It’s a lengthy process, but one that must be undertaken. If you’re worried you might not have the time or knowledge to assist with it, consider reaching out to a senior relocation expert.

The Moving Phase Checklist

Moving day for a senior may be filled with mixed emotions. They will be saying goodbye to a life chapter, likely apprehensive about what’s coming next, and maybe anxious to get settled in. The good news is that if you’ve undertaken the above preparations, the process should be relatively smooth!

On moving day, the moving service (or you, if you’re handling it yourself) will deliver the senior’s belongings to their new home. You’ll want to help the moving senior unpack and get settled in to ensure they feel comfortable and at home. Utilities should shut off after the home’s sale closes, and other bills and accounts should be updated to reflect the senior’s new address. Be sure to place their important documents in a secure, but easily accessible place!

The process of moving is difficult for anyone, but especially for senior citizens sifting through an entire lifetime worth the memories, possessions, and accumulated objects. Following the steps above will help make that transition to their new chapter as smooth as possible.

How Experts Keep the Senior Moving Process Smooth

If you’re helping a senior move to the next phase of their lives in a new home or facility, the last thing you want is to forget a key step. The experts at Third Coast Move Managers are here to take that stress off your plate, assisting with everything from paring down possessions to setting up the move process and prepping the senior’s current home for the real estate market. We take on all the things that would normally be outside your comfort zone, leaving you to spend quality time with your senior loved one instead.

Contact our team today to get more information about how the Third Coast Move Mangers team can help your senior with the moving process.

The post Senior Moving Guide: 12 Tips to Plan & Organize for a Seamless Move appeared first on Third Coast Move Managers.

6 Signs It May Be Time to Move a Loved One to Assisted Living

third_coast_admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 18:26:53 +0000

Many older people hope to stay in their homes as long as possible instead of entering assisted living facilities. Those unable to live by themselves often move in with loved ones who can help care for them. These solutions are often adequate for a while, but some aging seniors may find that their conditions progress to the point of needing more care than they — or their family members — can manage alone.

“Assisted living” tends to have a negative connotation, but that doesn’t have to be the case. These facilities are designed for individuals who may need more physical or medical attention as they age, but they are also spaces where residents can find healthy living and community. This guide will explore when to consider relocating to assisted living, plus give tips on how to approach the subject to your loved one.

What to Know About Assisted Living

First and foremost, it’s important to understand what assisted living facilities do. The term often brings to mind a lack of independence, but that’s not necessarily the case. These homes are “part of a continuum of long-term care services,” according to the American Health Care Association, and offer:

Medical staff as needed
Daily activities and community events
Nutritious meals
Private rooms residents can make their own
Security and guidance
Independence as well as person-focused care
And more

The other thing to keep in mind about assisted living is that residents’ needs are accommodated as their mental or physical statuses change. A person in need of memory care assistance may eventually also require additional medical care or help getting around in a wheelchair, for example. The level of attention and care received adjusts with the resident’s needs.

6 Reasons to Consider a Move to Assisted Living

It’s no secret that our ability to function changes as we age. Some individuals remain in control of their faculties until the day they pass, but others may require aid as time goes on. Each person’s living situation is unique to them, however, and that can make it difficult to determine when to look into an assisted living facility. Here are some things you might notice that should prompt a discussion:

1. The individual Seems Unable to Handle Personal Tasks

Dementia, forgetfulness, and other mental hindrances may mean your loved one is unable to keep up with tasks like paying bills, hiring handypersons, running errands, keeping up with yard or housework, or other everyday tasks. If their ability to manage these responsibilities seems to be declining, it may fall to a caregiver to pick up the slack.

This can be difficult for those who are doing so on top of managing their own (and their families’) daily lives, especially if the loved one’s list of needs continues to grow.

2. Their Diet and/or Nutrition Begins to Suffer

Many older people cannot cook for themselves because the cookware becomes too heavy for them to handle, or they lack the dexterity to open packaging and containers. Others may forget to eat, or may lose their appetite for healthier options. Still others may only make what is prepackaged and convenient, resulting in low nutrient consumption.

Malnutrition and other negative consequences related to poor diet can have lasting impacts on an elderly person’s health.

3. They Cannot Complete Their Own Hygiene or Self-care Routines

Bathing, hygiene, and basic self-care are essential, but they can easily be overlooked if an older person is suffering from mental or physical decline.

Those with decreasing mental faculties may forget to undertake daily hygiene, for example, which can lead to infections or other harmful reactions. Those with declining physical abilities may also not be able to bathe themselves or perform basic self care.

4. The individual’s Medication Management Becomes a Problem

Older adults have spent decades in charge of their own lives, and that can make the transition to needing assistance tricky. No parent wants a child to check up on them, ask whether they took their medications, or count pills to ensure the process has gone off without a hitch. Some will adamantly express that they’ve taken medications they either forgot to take or are refusing to consume, which can have dire consequences.

5. Their Mobility Becomes Impaired, Leading to Accidents

A sure sign that it’s time to consider a move to assisted living is that a person’s mobility is so impaired by physical or mental decline or injury that they are unable to safely navigate the world on their own. This can lead to trips, slips, falls, and eventual injuries that could be prevented with the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.

6. Your Loved One Seems at Risk of Danger

It can be difficult to know exactly how much help someone needs as they age, but it’s relatively easy to tell if they are a danger to themselves. Seniors with serious mobility issues, medical conditions that require around-the-clock care, memory impairments that may cause occasional outbursts, or those without family to care for them may do best in an assisted living facility where they can receive the safety, care, and community they need to thrive.

The most important thing to remember is that you are not abandoning your loved one by being interested in moving them to assisted living. On the contrary, you are likely doing what is best for them! If you have questions about assisted living or the process of moving to a facility, reach out to a senior living services professional for more information.

How to Discuss a Move to an Assisted Living Facility

Talking about assisted living with a loved one may be difficult, especially if they have generally been opposed to the idea. Here are a few tips for starting that discussion:

Remind the person that you love them.
Explain your concerns, especially if they are about mobility, medication, or health conditions you are unable to manage for them.
Be aware of how you phrase your comments. Come from a place of love rather than being inconvenienced by your loved one’s needs.
Consider having your loved one’s doctor start the discussion, particularly if you know your family member or friend would not be receptive to the idea coming from you.
Have an actual conversation. Your loved one should not feel you’ve made the decision for them. Include them in the process from start to finish.
Tour facilities together so your loved one can choose one that feels right for them.
Help them with the transition period.

The process involved in downsizing from a standalone home to an assisted living facility can seem overwhelming, but having a team of professionals at your side makes it easier. Third Coast Move Managers has years of experience offering seniors in Southwest Michigan expert guidance as they navigate physically moving their belongings from one phase of life to another. We can aid in each step from sorting and packing to removing unwanted items and placing treasured mementos in storage.

Give us a call to see how we can assist with your loved one’s move to assisted living today.

The post 6 Signs It May Be Time to Move a Loved One to Assisted Living appeared first on Third Coast Move Managers.