There are so many things to consider in the lead-up to the move to a retirement community. Having to sort through a lifetime’s worth of memories and items can be mentally and physically taxing. On top of that, having to leave a family home is not an easy task. To ease your loved one’s burden, we have compiled a list of things to help ease their mind and make the transition as smooth sailing as possible.
Have Ample Time
The most important thing is to make sure to start the moving process early. Uprooting from somewhere your loved one lived their whole life can be a tremendous feat and there will be a lot your loved one will need to do. Starting early and having ample time will stop your loved one from worrying about everything as it gets closer to the deadline of the move.
Keep an Itemized List
Moving can be a hassle, especially when your loved one has got years and years of belongings they need to consider during the move. Keeping an itemized list can help keep the mind clear during the moving process. Write down the things your loved one want to take along, the things to get rid of and things to pass on to family and friends or send for donation. With everything clearly organized, it will make packing and sorting things much easier.
Downsizing
After writing down the list of things to keep or toss, the next order of business is to go about doing so. If your loved one need help packing boxes or moving furniture around, don’t be afraid to contact friends and family. There are downsizing companies that will help your loved one go through things and help them decide what to keep and what to toss. The companies can also help move furniture for your loved one and help them set things up so everything will be perfect before they arrive.
Request for a Floor Plan
It would be a good idea to also get a layout of the place your loved one is going to move into. That way your loved one can easily see what furniture can fit and what doesn’t. It will also give your loved one an idea of how much to get rid of and what they can bring along. It would greatly help the downsizing process.
Update Mailing Address
Another helpful tip is to make sure to update the new mailing address. This would make the transition easier as your loved one doesn’t need to worry about mail getting loss and is extremely helpful if your loved one has medicine that is sent to the address. Make sure that it gets sent to the new place instead so your loved one will have it there waiting for them when they move in.
A move like this is a major change in your loved one’s life. It can be hard to wrap your head around the idea in the beginning but making that move can be a necessary change for your loved one to go through for everyone to carry on happily. It’s not the end of an era but the beginning of a new one. Feel free to schedule a tour with us to find out more about our community.
