Helping Seniors Move to a New Home and Avoid Relocation Stress

Moving a senior that is your parent or another loved one can be difficult on both parties in the process. Moving into a smaller home or assisted living will be a big change for everyone. They will be in a different place, and many times they don’t even want to be moving. The change in everyday life such as having to find new friends, increased distance from family, and change of scenery can be highly traumatic for your parent or loved one.

Older adults can go through something called transfer trauma or relocation stress syndrome. This is normally caused by the stress of the move and all the emotions that go along with it.

symptoms of this syndrome:

-Agitation

-Depression

-Withdrawal

-Loss of sleep

-Short-term memory loss

-Loss of appetite

-Nausea

This is especially frequent in seniors who are being moved from an independent living environment to an assisted living one. The loss of control causes emotional and psychological damage. Making sure the move process is smooth can be very important to keeping your parents overall health as high as possible during this time.

Senior Relocation Tips

Prepping for the Move

Ask your parent or loved one what they want, don’t make the decision for them. Try to meet in the middle as much as possible and take into account what their preferences are. It can be something as simple as having a room overlooking a garden or fountain. With this information, you can plan ahead and accomplish giving them luxuries that they will enjoy in their new residence. Remember, they are the ones living in there, not you.

Validate Moving Process and Their Feelings

Go through the entire moving process with them. This will give reassurance that all of their belongings will be fine, giving them added peace of mind. This will allow them to voice any issues or concerns they have, and give more control of the situation, in turn increasing mental health.

Choosing the Right Professional Movers

Make sure to choose movers that are known for being especially careful with irreplaceable items such as antiques. Make sure to highlight this as it will give your parent further reassurance their valuables are in good hands.

Liberty Moving is a 5 star rated residential moving company in Birmingham, AL serving all surrounds areas such as: Homewood, Mountain Brook, Vestavia, Trussville, Pelham, Alabaster, Chelsea, and Hoover. We are friendly, careful and experienced. Contact Liberty Moving for a free moving estimate on your Senior Relocation Move today!