After the holidays, it’s common for moving companies to field a higher-than-average number of calls about moving elderly parents out of their longtime home.

Adult children head home and suddenly, they’re faced with the realities that maybe Mom & Dad need more support or less home to keep up with as they get older.

Preparing to have the talk with your parents about moving to assisted living – or even just to a smaller home – is never easy, but there are some tips that can make the actual move go more smoothly.

Employ Empathetic Help Every Step of the Way

Most older people will be downsizing and moving to a more manageable home or into an assisted living facility.

Moving from a home where people have lived for many, many years often comes with the need to sort through belongings and determine what needs to be shared with family, packed up, sold, or donated.

“When I visit with our senior customers, I share my experience of moving out of a home where I had lived for 25 years,” says Glenn Usery, one of Bulldog Movers’ sales representatives. This level of empathy helps allay fears and concerns older people might have about the moving process.

Glenn also offers some tips for making a successful move based on his personal and professional experience:

• Accept that there will be times that get emotional. It’s normal when moving a parent or older relative to relive memories associated with possessions.
• Measure the furnishings you plan to keep and determine what will fit properly in the new space – aim to leave enough space to eliminate potential mobility challenges.
• Consider hiring an experienced estate sales company to help with personal effects and furnishings.
• Organize items that are moving with your parents or being donated using a color-coding system. It doesn’t take long for a lot of sturdy moving boxes to all start to look alike!

Is Moving to Assisted Living Different from Moving to a Smaller House?

“Going into assisted living isn’t any different than moving to a house from the standpoint of a professional moving company,” states Glenn. While the space is smaller, most assisted living facilities have elevators and accessibility features like wide hallways and doors that make moving a lot easier for your crew.

During the quoting process you may be offered other services that are optional, but helpful, for seniors on the move. Getting help with packing on the front end and making sure that heavy furniture is moved into the right position in the new space can make all the difference for seniors adjusting to a new home.

Preplanning and using the right levels of service will make the quoting process and the move itself much more efficient. With over four decades of experience, we’ve successfully helped many seniors transition from big family homes into comfortable new spaces where they can make new memories with family and friends.

What Happens on Moving Day?

At your scheduled time, one of Bulldog’s big red GPS enabled trucks will pull up in front of the home and an experienced, professional crew will start the moving process.

All the boxes and furnishings will be moved according to the agreed upon plan and delivered safely to the new location.

Moving an elderly parent is never easy but having a team of experienced movers can take the stress out of the move itself.

Give us a call at (770) 697-8356 or request a quote online.