Taking the steps to move your parents into a senior living community can be both emotional and labor-intensive. Between packing boxes, selling items or property, moving to a new space, and more, a clear plan, including a timeline and a checklist, is important to ensure every detail of your parents' move goes smoothly.
To help, we've compiled this moving planning checklist to help you and your family make the transition to an independent or assisted living facility.
Three to six months before the move
Three to six months before the move, you should be thoroughly researching different communities to find one that best suits your loved one’s needs. To ensure you’re looking in the right places, create a list of must-have features, like extra rooms for loved ones to stay in during visits or a certain level of care to assist your loved one on a daily basis.
Once you understand what your loved one needs from a senior living facility, consider hiring a senior placement and service company like Welcome Home Senior that helps seniors find their ideal independent living, assisted living or memory care community.
Checklist:
● Determine your loved one’s needs.
● Research senior living facilities in your area.
● Hire a senior placement and services company.
Two months before the move
Two months before your parents need to be out of their current residence, you should have chosen the best community for them, asked the community staff about move-in procedures, and chosen an exact date to move them in.
Once you have a confirmed move-in date, you will want to begin lining up a moving company to help you and your family when the day comes. You may wish to ask your local senior services and placement company if they can recommend any good local moving companies. Once you find one you like, book them as soon as possible, as their schedules can fill up fast.
Checklist:
● Choose the community and schedule a move-in date.
● Ask staff about move-in procedures.
● Hire a moving company.
One month before the move
About a month before the move, it's a good time to start thinking about any new healthcare providers and local necessities your parents will need to visit once they move. If they're staying in the same general vicinity, they may not have to make too many changes. However, if your parents' senior living community is in a different town or city, it's important to begin researching local physicians, dentists, specialists, pharmacies, grocery stores, shopping centers, and other places your parents may frequent.
This is also a good time to begin sorting the items and furniture you and your parents would like to keep, donate, or throw away. This process can take longer than you might anticipate, especially if your parents have been in their home for decades. Be prepared for some difficult emotions as they decide what to part with.
Checklist:
● Research local doctors and specialists for your loved one.
● Determine the best shopping centers and locations they’ll frequent.
● Sort through your loved one’s belongings and furniture to keep, donate or toss.
Two weeks before the move
The next two weeks will go by quickly, so use this time to start tackling any "change of address" tasks that will need to happen. Begin with the U.S. Postal Service to help your parents set up mail forwarding. Then, you'll want to compile a list of all their banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, and other accounts that will need their new address.
You should also start making calls to cancel or transfer utilities accounts at your parents' home, such as phone, internet, electric, cable, water and sewer, trash collection, and gas, as well as any subscriptions they may have to their current address.
Checklist:
● Set up mail forwarding.
● Contact banks and companies/accounts to change the address on file.
● Cancel or transfer utilities and subscriptions.
The week of the move
At this point, anything your parents will not need for the week ahead should be packed up in suitcases and boxes, including clothing and valuables. You may need to check in with them several times throughout the week and ensure they are packing up frequent-use items like kitchenware and toiletries after their final pre-move use.
In the days leading up to the move, help your parents prepare a thoroughly outlined schedule for moving day. Set aside boxes with valuable items you will move yourself, then set the other boxes aside for the movers. Gather up tools and cleaning supplies you might need to take care of any last-minute messes and fixes.
Finally, be sure to check in with the movers you've hired to confirm the date, time, pricing, number of workers on hand, and anything else they might need to know before moving day.
Checklist:
● Finish packing.
● Prepare a schedule for move-in.
● Separate valuables from other items.
● Confirm date, time, pricing, and number of workers with movers.
Moving day
The big day is here! You and your parents have already done most of the hard prep work. Now, it's time to turn your gaze to your parents' future home.
Once you arrive at their new residence, check in with the staff to ensure your parents' unit is clean, the utilities are operational, and that you have any "welcome" information from the community. After the movers have brought all the boxes in, it's time to start unpacking and making your parents' new residence not only a place to live, but a home to love.
Checklist:
● Check in with community staff.
● Ensure your loved one’s unit is clean and utilities are operational.
● Help your parents unpack.
● Spend time with your loved one and make sure they are comfortable before leaving.
Ready to start exploring options for your parents' big move? We're here to help. Welcome Home Senior Services & Placement Co. offers free, hands-on concierge services to help you choose the perfect assisted living, independent living, or memory care facility in Florida. Contact us today to discuss your needs and learn more about the hundreds of communities we represent.