Relocation for the Senior In Your Family

Relocation can be hard at any age. Moving is difficult on families as well as the individual. So many things to remember, so much work to be done. And this is only the actual moving aspect of it. Dealing with the stress of living in a new area is a whole other ball of wax. For the senior in your family, moving can be even more stressful. Many senior citizens have lived in their current homes for most of their adult lives. They’ve often raised their children there, returned home to that house when their day of work was finished, and retired there. Moving can be full of anxiety. Here are some tips that can help alleviate some of that anxiety and make a move as stress free as possible.

Relocation often presents its own time frame for an older family member. If their spouse has died, the house they live in may be simply too large for them to adequately take care of or even get around in. If they have had a medical emergency, they or their family members may decide they need to live closer to friends and family or perhaps move into an assisted living facility. Whatever the case, it’s usually not the person themselves that decides what to do, but rather their family. People are stubborn and willful, after all. And no one likes the thought of leaving their home behind. In these instances, it’s so important to stick beside your loved one and guide them carefully through the process. Leaving them in the dark can lead to confusion and mistrust. Help them choose a new place to live and guide them in a particular direction if you feel you know what’s best for them.

One of the most heartbreaking things about relocation can be giving up certain belongings. These types of moves are rarely from a smaller house to a bigger one. They are often to a smaller house, an apartment, a room in a family member’s house, or to a nursing home. In any of these instances, it stands to reason that not everything is going to be able to come along. Storage facilities can be rented for things that can’t be parted with, but some things will necessarily have to go. This can be especially difficult when the person has attached sentimental meaning to almost everything in the house. Set aside a day or two to help the senior choose which things should come along and which things can be sold off or tossed out.