Senior relocations are not easy to handle. Not only do you have to deal with the movers and the whole moving plan, but you also need to help the elderly person get accustomed to the idea that they are going to move. Both of these problems can be quite arduous and stressful. And, if you don’t know what you are doing, they can cost you a lot of time and nerves. So, in order to make this whole process easier, let us look into how to plan senior relocation properly.
Before you plan senior relocation
In order to properly plan senior relocation, you first need to understand what senior relocation is all about. The biggest difference between senior moving and regular moving is the fact that you need to take care of the senior person, along with moving. This, in most cases, turns out to be the most difficult part, if not done correctly. If you have to move a willing, happy, helpful elderly person, you will have no issues. But, as many people can tell you, elderly people are seldom like that. In order to make your moving plan work properly, you first need to prepare them for moving.
Talk with the person you are helping
The first thing that you need to understand is that moving is scary for elderly people. They might try to hide their fear behind anger or sadness. But, trust us – it is fear. So, before you start planning the relocation, you need to help your senior get to grips with moving. The more you talk to them about it, the less frightened they will be. Describe to them what their future life is going to be like and what awaits them. Try to make them understand that moving is a good thing. That way they will be happy and cheerful, and you will be able to commit your time and energy to the relocation.
Talk with the elderly before moving. Make sure that they are on board and that they are not scared.
Understanding moving stress
Another thing you need to understand is moving stress. Everyone experiences moving stress, whether they like it or not. Even if you spend months preparing and organizing, you are still going to experience stress. And this stress is also going to be present during a senior relocation. So, how do you deal with it? Well, there is no best way. You need to know how to calm the elderly people you are helping and how to calm yourself. Breathing, meditating and talking things through does help. But, at the end of the day, you will need to figure out what works for you and then do so.
How to go about planning
Once you have a better understanding of what moving means for senior people and the stress they will experience, it is time to plan senior relocation. Now, when moving by yourself you can attempt a DIY move. This is usually hard to do since you will need to organize people to help you and find a way to transport your items. But, it is not impossible. On the other hand, trying to deal with senior moving by yourself is bound to fail. There is simply not enough time to deal both with the relocation and with the elderly person you are helping. Your best bet is to find reliable movers to help you.
Don’t think that you can deal with moving and help your elderly at the same time.
Finding movers
Start looking for movers online. Try to find local moving companies that offer moving services tailored for senior citizens. When a company offers senior relocation, this usually means that they have a good idea of what it entails. Therefore, they are your best choice for avoiding moving mishaps and having an efficient relocation. If you cannot find local movers that offer senior relocation, don’t worry. All you need to do is to find movers that have the most experience. If a moving company has been in business for years they are bound to have moved senior people. Therefore, they do know how to go about doing it efficiently. They just forget to mention it on their website.
Working out a moving plan
Once you’ve found the right movers to help you, you will need to sit down with them and formulate a moving plan. You will soon find out that there are many things that go into moving, so you better start to plan senior relocation as soon as possible. You will need to make a moving timeline and you will need to delegate tasks. When it comes to the moving budget, the time of your relocation is almost as important as the amount of stuff you need to move. So, you better talk to your movers carefully and figure out when is the best possible time to move. You will also need to consider packing and unpacking. The more you look into it the more you will see just how many things there are to work out.
The timing of your move will be terribly important when you plan senior relocation.
When to move
The best time to move is during the weekdays and during the late fall or winter. During those periods movers have the least amount of work, which is why they will be able to move you for the least amount of money. Now it may be difficult to organize your relocation at that time, which is why you need to contact your movers as soon as possible. You can deal with a short notice move. But, the sooner you start planning the better will you be able to plan out your relocation and tackle it properly. Not to mention the fact that the more time you have to help your elderly accommodate to the move, the better it is going to be for everyone. So, start planning your relocation as soon as possible, and try to organize it during the winter.