Caregivers in Lowell, MI: Helping your Parent Move to Another Location

Sometimes an elderly parent has to make a move to another house. Maybe the family home is getting too large for them to manage and a smaller apartment is more suitable. Sometimes the elder will move to another city to be closer to their adult children. Whatever the reason, there are some things you should keep in mind if you are getting ready to move your senior to another location.

Your parent will be going through a lot of big changes, so they will need lots of patience and understanding. They are going from being totally independent to needing the help of an in-home care provider. They will be going from doing all their own driving to being driven around by caregivers or family members. They will probably be dealing with health concerns, among other things.

Issues that can arise when moving an elderly person:

• They can’t easily let go of all their familiar belongings
• Downsizing and de-junking can be very difficult
• Moving to a new neighborhood with new people can make them very anxious
• They don’t have the strength or energy to help with sorting, organizing or moving
• They may feel guilty or depressed about moving even if they’ve agreed to it
• They might be prone to being disagreeable about the move when they start feeling the stress of it all

There are things you can do to help make the move more comfortable and flow along more smoothly:

• Keep your elder in the conversation. Don’t make decisions about what to keep and what to leave behind without their consent, if at all possible.
• Don’t complain about the state or current condition of their house. After all it’s been their home for a number of years and it’s hard for them to leave it.
• Reassure them that the packing and all the hard work will be done by others; they don’t need to stress over it or worry about putting someone else out of their way. Just let them know they are there to help make the decisions but someone else will do the work.
• Be careful when handling memories and other cherished belongings. Even if it doesn’t look valuable to you, it could mean a great deal to them. When you handle these items with care, your elder feels like you are respecting their feelings. This goes a long way to helping them remain calm during this difficult time.

Your love and care is the most important element of all in a successful move. The move could turn out to be more of a relationship builder than a stressful crisis when you give your loved one a large dose of genuine love and understanding.