For many reasons, moving into senior living is an exciting time. It means a fulfilling future is on the horizon with a new lifestyle, surroundings and friendships all waiting to be discovered. There’s just one downside: the move itself.
Often, seniors who are moving into senior living communities are downsizing from family homes, and that’s no small job. Fortunately, it’s a common enough scenario that there are entire companies dedicated to helping seniors downsize. These businesses that specialize in senior moves offer an array of services that remove the hassles of selling a home and moving, so you can focus on the exciting future ahead.
Professional, accredited move managers and downsizing services take the guesswork and stress out of moving by helping with organizing, downsizing belongings, arranging shipments, recommending furniture placement to make the most of your new floor plan, and even unpacking and setting up your new home.
Absolutely! Similar to Realtors who meet specific criteria and receive special training to help people buy and sell real estate, there are Senior Move Managers® who have specific credentials and experience managing relocation needs for older adults. In fact, the National Association of Specialty & Senior Move Managers requires its members to meet stringent vetting requirements, including signing and agreeing to operate by a specific code of ethics.
While the exact services a move manager provides may vary slightly from one company to the next, in most cases you can count on your move manager to either supply you directly or provide referrals or oversight for virtually anything you need related to moving into senior living. For example, some move managers offer their own moving services and real estate support, while others have established close relationships with trusted providers in your area.
One of the greatest advantages of a move manager is their ability to serve as ringmaster of what can feel like a three-ring circus. What’s more, a move manager doesn’t have any attachment to the family home or belongings like family members may, so they’re able to offer practical, objective guidance without the influence of emotions.
Specific roles a move manager might take on include:
The best answer to that question depends on many variables. Are you in generally good health and physically able to take on a big job like downsizing? Do you have a significant number of loose ends to resolve before you can move? Do you have friends or family who are eager to pitch in and help — while honoring your own wishes?
If any of those questions give you pause, you can probably benefit from the experience and knowledge of someone who’s helped hundreds of older adults who are moving into senior living. Unlike your average moving company, a senior moving service is well versed in the emotional, psychological and physical challenges of a milestone move. They’re not just focused on getting your things relocated from one address to another; they’re looking for ways to ease your stress and streamline every step of the process.
Put simply, a Senior Move Manager’s expertise and gentle approach are a winning combination to set you up for success in your new home.
If you’re planning on moving into senior living but haven’t decided where, be sure to check out Aberdeen Ridge, a 15-acre community near the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak, offering independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Construction on this brand-new community is nearing completion and our independent living apartments are filling fast, so you’ll want to act soon to reserve your own spot. Contact us to learn more or to make plans to attend one of our upcoming events covering all you need to know about downsizing.
