Moving Your Elderly Parents Out Of Their Home With Less Heartache
When the time comes to move your elderly parents out of their home and into a smaller place, or even a personal care home, times can get tough. It is a huge transition that the entire family will have to adapt to, but will be even more difficult for your parents. Here, you will learn how to move your parents out of their home with fewer issues and less heartache.
Start Slow
Before you begin breaking out the boxes and packing things up, begin with conversations about what will be going with your parents, what will go to family members, and what will be sold. There may be several things in your parent's home that they are just not ready to part with or that they have wanted to pass on to a certain family member. Jot down your parents' wishes so that you make no mistakes when the time comes to begin boxing and moving.
Rent a Storage Unit
There will be many things that your parents or your family aren't comfortable getting rid of just yet. For these items, renting a storage unit is the best option. This way, the items that are questionable can get put away in storage until your parents and family decide what to do with them.
A storage unit can also be helpful to make the transition slowly. Rather than emptying the house all at once, you can begin packing the things that your parents are taking with them and put it all in a storage unit for safe keeping until they are ready to get settled into their new place.
Stop and Listen
There will be times when your parents begin to break down over the thought of leaving their home. When this happens, stop what you are doing and really listen to their concerns. Something as small as parting with a bed spread or set of dishes can set off an emotional break down, so you may be able to solve the problem by putting the bed spread or dishes in the storage until they are ready to part with them. The fact of the matter is, your parents need to know that you are listening to their concerns and that you are doing everything in your power to keep them as comfortable with the transition as possible.
Get Settled
When your parents get into their new place, take your time getting them settled. They will need help moving things around until they find new homes for each of their possessions. You may end up making several trips to the storage unit to get one or two things to complete their new home, but it will be worth it when your parents are settled into a new home that they are comfortable with.
This will be a difficult time for everyone, but if you stop and communicate, store questionable items and do not rush the situation, it can be more pleasant for everyone involved. One suggestions is to hire a moving service. They will pack and move things so that your parents don't have to directly face their impending move.