7 Steps to Create a Smoother Move for Seniors

If you are helping a senior move from their home, it can be a very overwhelming experience for everyone involved. We are here, however, to help this difficult situation become easier. It’s important to us that this challenging situation be overcome with as much ease as possible.

As you help a senior prepare to leave their home and move into a new condo or assisted living home, we recommend that you use the following list to guide you before and on moving day. Here are 7 Steps to Create a Smoother Move for Seniors:

1. Call the living center first. We highly recommend that you call the living center and let them know that you have hired Atlanta Peach Movers to assist you. The center will be able to tell you:

• when an optimal time for the move in will be,
• what door we should move your items through, and
• how long after the items have been moved in that the senior should arrive

To help this process along, we recommend that you provide the answers to these questions to us prior to our arrival. In this way, we can help alleviate any stressful situations that may arise that day by being timely and organized.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If packing becomes too overwhelming to do on your own, just give us a call. We have trained experts who have helped plenty of seniors move before. By enlisting the help of trained packing professionals, you are able to take out the emotional elements of moving day, and better focus your attention on your senior, instead of worrying about “things”.

3. Use colored paper when packing. In our experience, some people have found that packing precious heirlooms and knick-knacks in colored paper helps to calm senior movers. Colored paper draws attention to items and makes it difficult to throw out. In this way, seniors can trust that their most valued items are given extra attention and care.

4. Label boxes as you pack. Leaving your home can be a very stressful time for seniors. They worry that their sense of familiarity will be lost when they reach their new environment. It is therefore very important that as you help them pack, you reassure them that all of the objects that have made their house a home are coming with them, too. A simple solution is to label boxes as you go along. By having proper labels seniors are able to see what is being packed. This reassures them that their favorite and valued objects will not be left behind.

5. Have your senior mover help you pack. Even though moving and lifting boxes may be beyond your seniors ability range, there are other ways that they may participate in the moving the process. Remember, the more they are involved in moving, the more in control of the situation they will feel. Heightened feelings of control will in turn help to soothe anxiety and displeasure towards moving. So, as you are packing, ask your parents or grandparents to help, too. Bring them small items they are capable of wrapping from a chair or couch. These small tasks will make a big difference on moving day!

6. Be careful with newspaper. While newspaper is a useful, free packing source, it has a tendency to stain china and other fragile items. Be sure that you use actual packing paper when you are packing expensive items. Ruining any valuable objects could have a very negative effect on the senior mover once things begin to be unpacked.

7. Make a timeline for the day. It is incredibly important that all parties be aware of the timeline on moving day. Before moving day, be sure to write out when the movers are coming, how long the move is expected to take and at what time the senior mover will be leaving their house. By putting these things into writing, you take away the unknown from your parent or grandparent. This will help them to ask fewer questions on moving day and have a better understanding of what is happening.

If you are helping a senior move, do not hesitate to call us with any questions or concerns that you may have. While this may be your first time moving, it isn’t ours, and we want to use our experience to help you through this stressful time.