Having to move at a ripe age can come as a very difficult ordeal. Whether you need to move your senior parents or are an elderly person yourself, you may not really even know where to start. But don’t worry, here you’ll read all about the best ways to help elderly people relocate.
Professional movers can help elderly people relocate with much more ease
Moving is generally easier with capable hands around, but professionals can make it a breeze. Moreover, you can hire movers with special training for senior relocation for even more help. So, if the elderly in question is moving to Las Vegas, they should look into services that work in that area.
In that case, there are plenty of North Las Vegas movers to help you out. In fact, that’s the case for most areas. So if another location is in order, you would just have to do some research.
Nine times out of ten, simply typing “movers near me” in your search engine will provide a host of candidates. Of course, you’ll have to make sure that the company you hire is the right one for you. To that end, look into their credentials and reviews to assess their quality.
You will inevitably have to declutter
As time goes by, we all hoard more and more belongings. By the time we reach our golden years, we wind up having a lot more things than we really need. And it’s clear that there is no need to take these items along for the move.
However, that’s easier said than done. The elderly are prone to hoarding, and they tend to form a sentimental bond with the things they have. That makes it harder for them to let go of them once the time for that comes.
To that end, you need to have some patience when you help elderly people relocate. Be sure that this move is already difficult enough for them as it is. You can make the decluttering part easier by starting with low-sentiment items. Not only will it be easier for them to part from these, but it will warm them up to the idea of decluttering.
If they ultimately can’t bear to throw their belongings away, suggest giving them to someone you or they know. That way, they will at least be at more ease knowing what happened to their beloved knick-knacks.
You need to arrange appropriate transportation
Transportation can be particularly troublesome, especially for people with disabilities. Assuming that you’ve already hired senior movers, this is the most important part of moving for seniors. That’s why transportation has to be handled with special care.
In case the older person is disabled and needs to fly, look into nonstop flights. And first check with the airline if they have the means to take in the mover (boarding assistance, special seating, curb-to-gate escort).
But if it’s by land that they travel, you’ll need the opposite. Make frequent stops along the trip, whether or not they’re wheelchair-bound. They’ll need to take bathroom breaks or just to get some respite from the road and stretch their legs for a bit. Make sure you can supply them with oxygen tanks or needed medication, though.
To help elderly people relocate, you need to prioritize their health
Fragile health is the biggest threat to a smooth relocation when you help older people move. Naturally, their health always comes first. That means that you need to take every precaution to help seniors move, especially if they suffer from a medical condition.
There are many moving services Las Vegas and other cities offer that accommodate senior citizens as much as they can. But these movers aren’t medical experts, so they can’t help on that front. Hiring a geriatric care manager would be the best course of action in that case. They usually have tons of connections to healthcare providers and in-home care agencies, so they can help out during and after the move.
You can also help older people relocate by transferring any and all prescriptions to a pharmacy closest to the new location. In addition, make sure that the person moving will be covered by a health insurance plan. You can check out whether the nearby doctors are in-network (either online or by calling the number located at the back of their insurance card).
Focus on the positives of the new home
If you want to help elderly people relocate properly, there’s more to it than the move itself. The emotional aspect of the relocation is just as important. You have to understand that seniors usually live in one place for years, if not decades. Suddenly uprooting their home and moving to a new environment can be extremely stressful for them.
That’s why you need to make this transition as easy for them as you can. One of the best ways to go about this is to restart their routines once they’ve moved. If they liked walking at parks, find the nearest one and visit it with them. Show them that their life doesn’t need to be all that different now. TV or movie time should remain the same as before.
Of course, being moved somewhere near their family and loved ones will make a world of difference. They will be able to keep in touch with everyone that matters to them, which is crucial in more advanced years.
How to help elderly people relocate: conclusion
Moving is a turbulent time for our senior citizens, and they should use any assistance they can get. Whether you move elderly parents or are an older person yourself, you can make this relocation go by far more smoothly with a few steps. Following our guidelines, you will help elderly people relocate with minimal stress and regret.
