Moving anywhere can be difficult and stressful, especially for aging adults. If you have parents who are aging and moving into an assisted living facility, make sure that you help them transition as smoothly and seamlessly as possible with these tips.
Talk to Them FIRST
You never want to assume the role of being in charge when it comes time to move your parents into an assisted living facility. You must realize that they are still capable of making decisions and those decisions may include how they want to move and what to take with them. As their caregiver, you should listen and abide by their wishes. Of course, if their wishes are unreasonable or jeopardize their health or wellbeing, you can offer your opinion.
Start to Downsize
The first step in the process is to downsize. No one can move their entire home into an assisted living facility, which means your parents will need to get rid of most of their things. This can be a difficult process for anyone, so patience is key.
Realize That They Want to Keep Their Independence
Your parents are probably scared, anxious, and nervous about making this move into an assisted living facility. With that said, they also do not want to give up their independence and they may feel like they are losing a ton of control in these moments. Do make sure to empower them and let them know that they are independent and can make decisions for themselves. It will make the transition for everyone better.
Store Items That They Cannot Take
While your parents will need to downsize, it is unlikely that they will part with everything and most of the things they want to keep may not be able to move with them into the assisted living facility. If this happens and your parents want to keep the items, check out some self-storage options. There are many different sizes of storage units that can accommodate their needs and keep their personal belongings safe while they are in the assisted living facility.
Pack Up Items They Can Take
Any items that your parents want to take with them should be packed up nice and neatly for a smooth move. You want to make sure that any items they do choose to take with them are allowed at the facility and have their name somewhere on them. Items may become easily lost at the assisted living facility, so labeling the items can help prevent them getting lost.
When packing up items, make sure to wrap any fragile ones and utilize either heavy-duty cardboard boxes or plastic totes.
Make a Smooth Transition
It can be difficult to move from one home to another, but the process does not have to be hard. By following the steps above and making sure your parents are ready for the move, you will find that the transition is smooth and works well for everyone involved.