1. Proper preparation is the key to success
When you plan your move date, book assistance from your friends, family, and the younger generation ahead of time, you are preparing for success. I highly recommend knowing a list of dates that works best for your close family members who have agreed to help with the move so that you can find a mover that can work around these time and date limitations.
2. Prioritize self care and health comes first
As we age, we need to listen more and more to our bodies to make sure we feel in tip top shape. Moving can be a huge strain on the body for individuals of all ages. Make sure you are looking out for yourself and avoiding doing moves that could get you injured such as lifting too heavy of a box or sliding something that is too heavy. It’s not worth throwing your back out to move an object as this will make the entire move a huge challenge. Whatever health routine you keep, make sure not to make any drastic changes to it during these times.
3. Take breaks and stay flexible as things change
It's important to stay dynamic and not get stressed out when plans change. Make sure the senior you are helping is staying well hydrated and out of the sun. During the move itself ensure they are moving around (but not too much) and taking breaks as much as needed. Things move pretty quickly with the movers so try to help them feel in control and not overwhelmed.
4. Decision making can be hard but should be done as a team
We just have to face it, as we get older, many decisions will be made on our behalf. If you are reading this to help an elderly citizen you love to move, ensure to involve them as much as possible in the decision making process. Even if they aren’t fully able to do everything, making them feel empowered is important for their morale. From small decisions like which supermarket should be the local one to buy from, to which place will be the new wine store, making them a part will be a good experience for all.
5. Handle the paperwork as much as possible ahead of time
Try to take care of everything ahead of time such as adding your name (or the senior you are assisting) to all new utilities ahead of time with their credit card on auto withdrawals. Signing and locking down the new home should be done well ahead of time to avoid added stress. Try to make all bills be on auto pay and set them up yourself so that everything will be automated with paper bills sent to their mailbox.
6. Pack medicines smartly
Losing or not putting your medicines aside in a critical bag would be a moving nightmare. Be sure to prepare your meds along with any other critical health items such as CPAP sleeping machines, or oxygen tanks in a special area in the house or in the car. Have all your medical records handy and not packed away in a box.
7. Consider accessibility issues when finding a new home
When finding a home for yourself for the golden years or if you are reading this article to help your family member it is important to take into consideration the accessibility of their new home. Even if today they are in healthy and good shape, it doesn’t mean they won’t need their home to be accessible in the coming years and the worst thing to do would be to make them move again for this. Their mobility and safety at home is critical, so consider things like wide bathrooms that could accommodate a wheelchair and handle bars in the showers in the future, even if they aren’t planning to install them now.
8. Downsize your clutter
Take the time with your family to sort through all your old objects while packing. Maybe you’ll want to get rid of some old items or give them away to family members to store. It's a shame to move more clutter into your new home and now is a perfect time to clean up.
9. Seeking professional help shouldn’t be a shame
If you don’t have family members available to help, or don’t want to inconvenience them with the move, don’t worry, iMoving has full service moving packages just for you. iMoving vendors offer services such as full packing and unpacking so that you don’t have to lift a finger and risk a back injury. You should also hire professional help for furniture assembly as a senior.
10. Transition slowly into all the new changes
As we age, it becomes harder and harder to accept change. With this move it's best to embrace the change as an adventure in your senior years. Take time to acclimate to your new surroundings and home and if you are helping a senior in your life with this process try to take them around to the local gardens and cafes to show them the fun new places they will be frequenting. As well, take them to the grocery store to help them acclimate to their new routine and locations as this is usually hard for seniors.
