6 Reasons to Hire a Senior Move Manager When Moving into Assisted Living
Letting go of cherished belongings, downsizing and packing a house full of memories, and moving everything you own to an assisted living community probably doesn’t sound like much fun for anyone.
It’s a process made doubly difficult when your parents are the ones making the move.
This helps to explain why hiring a senior move manager can help you and your parents make the transition go more smoothly, with much less stress. Senior move managers are professionals who help older adults and their families with the tasks of downsizing, relocating and organizing.
Why hire a senior move manager?
Think about the last time you moved. Was it college? For a new job? To get more space for your growing family?
Chances are, it was several years ago. For your parents, especially if they’re still in your childhood home, their last move was decades ago.
That means your parents’ house probably has decades’ worth of possessions, memories and personal belongings in every room, nook and cranny. That can be a lot to take on, emotionally and physically.
Here are 6 compelling reasons why you’ll want to bring in the professionals from a senior move management company instead of tackling the job on your own.
1. A senior move manager is usually specially trained to work with seniors. Most moving companies are trained only to pack and move a household from one place to another. A senior move manager specializes in moving older adults who have different needs and concerns than younger generations. Their training allows them to minimize the chaos and stress seniors may experience from a move to an assisted living community. The senior move manager addresses all aspects of the move process, from space planning in the beginning to post-move settling in and support.
2. A senior move manager knows how to make a plan and help clients stick with it from start to finish. Because of their training and background, a senior move manager has extensive experience developing moving plans for seniors and their families. They can create customized floor plans to help seniors see what will fit in their new senior living apartment. They also have extensive skills with downsizing, organizing, finding and working with other relocation specialists, and unpacking and setting up the senior’s home after the move.
3. Senior move managers have industry contacts. They know many of the companies associated with moving seniors, because they’ve worked with them many times before. They have contacts they can tap for cleaning, waste removal, home staging and selling the property; and they can assist the senior in shopping for any new items needed for their senior living residence. They also know how to dispose of unwanted items through auction, estate sale, consignment or donation.
4. A senior move manager can reduce family conflict and take the emotions out of moving. Often, when family members try to help the older adult downsize, unexpected emotions can quickly bubble up to the surface. Personal belongings are more than just things; often, they’re sentimental memories. Family members don’t always know or think to ask what items are truly important to keep. Or siblings may argue over who gets the antique furniture and the beloved holiday Santas they remember from childhood. A senior move manager is a neutral third party who knows how to provide objective, gentle guidance to help the senior make thoughtful decisions and progress.
5. Seniors feel more in control of their own move with a senior move manager. An unexpected life change can necessitate a move, but that doesn’t mean the move is voluntary. The senior’s move may be because of the death of a spouse or a change in their health — emotionally painful changes that can make the move more fraught with anxiety than usual. Senior move managers understand seniors and their unique situations; they know how to involve the senior in the moving decision and engage them in the process in ways that don’t feel pushy or overwhelming.
6. Hiring a senior move manager can save time, frustration and heartache. This may be the last move your parents will make in their life, and the finality of that can be challenging. Downsizing a senior’s home represents a different but very real loss. Leaving a longtime home in a familiar neighborhood may feel like everything is being taken away. A senior move manager understands those emotions and can work with your parents to help them let go, look forward, and get acclimated to their new senior living or assisted living community.
Talk with the professionals at Cypress Village
If you’re a senior looking for assisted living in the Jacksonville, FL, area, or if you’re an adult child looking for a Life Plan Community for your parents, contact us at Cypress Village. We’re here to help you discover the right level of care for your parents and pick the right floor plan for their lifestyle. Call us at 904-507-6702 to start a conversation, or get a personalized assessment on the best financial fit using our MoneyGauge Calculator.
