Moving elderly parents can be an emotional ordeal. There is simply no way to do it without guilt at watching them be uprooted—even if they proposed the move. Even if everyone knows it is a good choice. All those years of memories and all the knick knacks and all the difficulty knowing what to do with the pictures and the furniture. It takes a toll on anyone, but especially on the closest family members. So, take some time to make some good decisions and reduce the guilt.
Moving elderly parents doesn’t have to be as hard as it usually is. You can do a few things to minimize the emotional toll, and most of those have to be done in advance of the move.
First, talk to your parents about what they want out of the move. Sure, they are going to a new place, but do they want to start distributing the tchotchkes and family heirlooms now or do they want to keep the most vital things and just let the unneeded items go? Do they want to truly downsize and simplify or do they want to keep as much familiar stuff around them as possible?
Once you have helped them navigate those issues, you need to talk to the rest of the family. Have the parents’ wishes written down somewhere that you can refer to whenever the discussion gets confusing. You want, more than anything, to abide by their wishes, so make that paramount in the discussions.
Finally, you do the actual prep and moving. Despite the best prep, this is still a difficult task. Seeing it all happen can be emotionally exhausting, so plan meals and rest time to provide support and rejuvenation.
We are here to help. So, ask us to step in as early as you can, and our experts will guide you through the process, providing tips and tact as you navigate this new arena.
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