Moving is and will always be a struggle. No matter how often you move you’ll never get used to the long and tedious process of moving to a new location; from the location itself to the tiniest details of moving you, your family, and your furniture it is guaranteed to be a little stressful at best to disastrous at worst. This stress can even be more prevalent when moving with elderly parents and here are few practical guides to moving with your elderly parents.
Prepare them for the move
Moving takes a lot out of someone and sometimes people aren’t receptive to big changes. If you and your parents want to make this event in your life to feel like a breeze then not only will you need to be ready for those changes but they also need to be prepared both physically and mentally. Show them pictures of the place, make them feel comfortable moving there by telling them what the neighborhood is like or what the new house will look like and how well they’re going to feel right at home. Having a long and thoughtful discussion regarding the pros and cons of the move goes a long way and you’ll find it a lot easier to manage when they want to move too.
Plan ahead
To make the move as seamless and as stress free as possible you’re going to want to have a solid plan on how the move is going to go to make sure you have a good idea of what you’re doing and how you want to do it. It’s also very important that you communicate with your folks to have a good idea of what they need, this includes everything from which items they want to pack with them to their health concerns and needs. Planning ahead for the move can save you a lot of time and trouble, having a solid plan can also console your folks with any concern they may have regarding the move.
Plan round them
Make sure when you’re planning everything for the move that you keep your parents in mind. This includes contacting their care managers to arrange a medical transfer for the move, contact the local pharmacist so that they have your parents’ prescriptions in stock, and consider the method transportation to make sure that your parents are safe and comfortable on the way to your new home.
Call a professional
Take a load off of your shoulders and hire professional movers. Calling a professional will cut down the time and planning for your move by a lot. Rather than spend your time calling friends or family, setting up dates, and planning the smallest details have someone else do it for you. While it can be tempting to simply call for help from friends or family things can turn disastrous without the proper knowhow. Not to mention that these professionals will do most of the heavy lifting for you, both figuratively and literally.
Get the whole family involved
Moving your parents is a family matter so why not have everyone there to make things livelier than they can be. Sure, the professionals will be handling most of the logistics and most of the move itself but that doesn’t mean you still won’t need some familial help. Have members of the family help you pack everything from clothing to knickknacks and have the whole family clean up the old place before officially moving. Make a whole day out of it, have fun, and show the whole family that this is a special event for the better. Nothing helps with the process better than smiling faces from the people you love.
