Moving a senior loved one into an assisted living community involves legwork as well as a lot of planning to ensure that all is taken care of, including your loved one. We’ve created a list of things you should consider while preparing for the move to an assisted living facility like Fieldstone Grandridge.

 Moving Your Senior: The Basics

• Downsizing. This is one of the hardest parts when helping an elderly loved one move. Remember that this move involves not only physical objects, but lots of memories. Let your loved one take their time during packing to go through everything. It may take a while for them to decide what they want to bring with them, what to pass down to family members, which should be donated, sold, or thrown away. Do not rush this process for your loved one as it can be a difficult time, emotionally and physically, for them.
• Furniture. Plan which furniture they will be bringing ahead of time for less stress when your loved one moves. We suggest visiting the apartment they will be living in or requesting a floor plan where you can figure out what rooms will need which furnishings. Fieldstone Grandridge offers apartments ranging from studios to two-bedrooms. You will most likely want a bed, sofa, chairs, end tables, a night stand, a coffee table, and lamps. To make the place more cozy we suggest you bring some picture frames, keepsakes, artwork, a clock, and a vase of flowers.

Moving Your Senior: Before The Move

• Notify everyone. Cancel any insurance policies that no longer apply, notify utility companies, magazines, friends, banks, newspapers, and any other service providers of the new address and phone number. Don’t forget to change their address at the post office before the move so that your loved one does not miss any important mail. The United States Post Office even offers a temporary mail forwarding service!
• Movers. Whether you choose to use a full-service mover, self-service mover, or do it yourself, plan out your move before the day of.

Moving Your Senior: Day Of

• Enlist help. Ask your friends or family to take a few days to help ease the emotional stress of the move as well as the heavy lifting if you are planning on doing the move yourself. Enlist someone to keep your elderly loved one busy the day of the move by staying with them or take them to a movie or lunch. The stress of the move can be difficult on seniors and so it’s important to take care to prevent overstimulation.
• If the move is far, consider having someone fly with your loved one rather than traveling in a long car ride. Most seniors do not enjoy a road trip, and as long as they are cleared to fly, will provide a much shorter trip. If they have health issues preventing them from flying, we suggest researching further into traveling with seniors.
• Pack a Survival Kit. Be sure to have a bag with clothes, medicine, and any special foods for the day of the move. This is often overlooked, but you do not want to be mid-move and forget where you put your senior’s favorite snack or any vital medicines that need to be taken. It’s also important to have all legal, medical, financial, and insurance records accessible during the move in case of an emergency that may arise. Have all valuable items in a secure place until the move is finalized to ensure that they are not misplaced or forgotten.

MOVING YOUR SENIOR: After The Move

• Tour the facility. When the move is complete and your loved one is comfortable, tour Fieldstone Grandridge and have a meal with them. Introduce yourselves to staff members and fellow residents to get the conversation started for your loved one.
• Visit often. We welcome visitors! The first few weeks can be a difficult time for an elderly loved one, so be sure to visit often and see how they are doing. Some residents fall right into a routine, with all of our amenities, while others are a little hesitant. Whatever the situation, it’s important to remind your loved one that you are there for them and are thinking of them.