What Should I Do Before Moving My Parent Into Assisted Living?
Before moving your parent into assisted living, you should find out what the residence provides, how much space they’ll have, and what furniture will fit.
What’s more, you should involve your parent in deciding what they want to bring so they can be part of the process. This seems obvious, but the truth is it’s easy to get focused on the tasks at hand and forget about involving your parent.
You should also confirm move-in details like elevator bookings, parking, and building access, prepare a go bag with things like medication, glasses, keys, important papers, and other essentials, and plan to set up familiar comfort items first.
Key Takeaways:
- Always include your parent in decisions about what they want to take with them.
- Find out what the assisted living residence provides before deciding what to move.
- Use their new home’s measurements to determine which furniture and belongings will fit.
- Keep essential and comfort items easy to access so your parent can settle in more quickly and comfortably.
- Confirm relevant details like building access, parking, elevator bookings, and move-in times ahead of moving day.
Once the decision has been made to move a parent into assisted living, the next question is often, “Where do we start?”
At first, it may seem like the main task is arranging the move itself, but then the details begin to add up, and you start asking things like:
- What will fit in their new home?
- What does the residence already provide?
- Which belongings matter most to my parent?
- What needs to stay close at hand on moving day?
- Are there rules about move-in times, parking, or elevators?
All things considered, moving a parent into assisted living involves much more than getting furniture and boxes from one place to another.
But if you do a little planning before moving day, it can help reduce last-minute decisions and make the transition much easier to manage for everyone involved.
With that in mind, let’s explore some of the most important things to work through before the move.
Find Out What the Assisted Living Residence Provides
Before you start sorting through your parent’s current home, you should learn as much as you can about their new residence.
For one thing, you should ask what’s already included and what your parent will need to bring.
Some residences may provide certain furnishings or appliances, while others may expect residents to supply more of their own belongings.
In any case, it’s also worth asking whether there are restrictions on what can be brought into the residence.
For instance, the amount of storage available may be limited, certain furniture may be too large for the space, and accessibility requirements may also affect where furniture can be placed.
But if you have the answers to these questions first, it will make the sorting process much easier.
Because the truth is there’s little value in packing and transporting something that won’t fit, can’t be used, or will make the new space harder for your parent to move around in comfortably.
Use the New Space to Decide What Can Come
Once you know what the new residence provides, you should look closely at the size and layout of your parent’s new home.
A floor plan can be very helpful, so if there is one available, you can use it to work out which larger pieces of furniture can fit and where they could go.
If there is no floor plan, you’ll just have to take measurements of the room and the furniture your parent is thinking about bringing.
All in all, you need to think about how the space will actually function once everything is in place.
Your parent may want to bring a favourite chair or dresser, for instance, but there still needs to be enough room to move around safely and comfortably.
Ideally, you should use the layout of their new home to help them decide what will fit before moving day. That way, you’re not trying to solve furniture problems after the truck has already arrived.
The goal is to create a space that works best for your parent, rather than trying to fit as much of their old home as possible into the new one.
Figure Out What Your Parent Wants to Take
For many families, this is one of the hardest parts of moving a parent into assisted living.
Your parent may be leaving a home they have lived in for many years, and the belongings inside that home may be connected to family milestones, relationships, routines, hobbies, and memories that are important to them.
So, whenever possible, you should include your parent in deciding what will come with them.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it can help to work through the home one area at a time, decide what will move to the new residence, and then set aside anything your parent wants to give to family.
Donations, on the other hand, can be identified separately, and belongings that don’t need an immediate decision can be dealt with after the move, if time allows.
You should also try not to assume that an item has little value simply because it looks ordinary to you. A small picture, chair, dish, or keepsake may carry a story you don’t even know about.
What’s more, your parent may also change their mind. And that’s okay.
Giving them some room to reconsider a decision can help them feel more involved in a process where many other choices may already feel like they’re outside their control.
Confirm Building Details Before Moving a Parent Into Assisted Living
Assisted living residences often have specific procedures for moving day, and these details can affect the entire schedule.
So, if applicable, before the move, make sure to confirm when movers are allowed into the building and whether an elevator needs to be reserved.
You should also find out where the moving vehicle can park, and which entrance should be used.
The residence may also have a designated loading area, and there could be set move-in times or periods when an elevator is reserved specifically for your parent’s move.
Whatever the case, the moving team you’re working with needs to understand the building access instructions ahead of time.
These details are easy to overlook when your family is focused on packing and sorting, but they can create major delays if they’re not handled in advance.
Pack a Go Bag With the Essentials
Some belongings should never go into a moving box.
So, before moving day, you should prepare a go bag with the things your parent needs to keep with them throughout the day.
Consider including things like:
- Keys
- Toiletries
- Dentures
- Medication
- Wallet or purse
- Important papers
- Phone and charger
- Glasses or hearing aids
- Anything else your parent will need during the day
Think about what your parent normally reaches for and what would cause stress if it couldn’t be found quickly.
Even when boxes are carefully labelled, unpacking takes time, but when you pack a go bag, it means your parent won’t have to wait while someone searches through boxes for medication, glasses, or other essential items.
This small piece of preparation can prevent a lot of unnecessary frustration on an already busy day.
Plan What Your Parent Will Need First
The order in which belongings arrive and are set up is important, too.
So, think about what your parent will want as soon as they enter their new home.
For example, a favourite chair may give them somewhere familiar to sit and having the bed ready means they can rest if the day becomes tiring.
Things like familiar bedding, a bedside table, family photographs, or a favourite lamp can also help the space begin to feel more like their own.
In any case, the key is to plan the loading order so key comfort items can be among the first things set up at the new residence.
Beds and favourite chairs, for example, can be loaded strategically so they’re easier to access when the truck is unloaded.
The aim is to avoid having your parent arrive in a room filled with boxes and nowhere comfortable to sit or rest.
All things considered, good move planning looks beyond what needs to be transported and considers what your parent will need when they arrive.
Make a Plan for Everything That’s Not Going to Their New Home
Your parent may only be able to take a portion of what’s currently in their home.
So, before moving day, you should have at least a basic plan for the belongings that won’t be going with them.
Some items may already be promised to family members, while others may be suitable for donation, and there may also be furniture or household belongings that still need a decision.
Moreover, the home itself may need cleaning once the move is complete.
But you don’t have to finish every part of the old home before moving day, especially if the timeline is tight.
Having a plan for what happens next, though, can prevent you and your family from reaching the end of the move and realizing another large project has been left completely unplanned.
Decide Who’s Going to Manage the Move
By this point, it becomes clear why a senior move can involve much more than renting a moving truck.
For instance, someone needs to keep track of what’s being packed and what’s staying behind, the assisted living residence needs to be coordinated with the move, and someone also needs to make sure the new home is ready and that the belongings your parent needs first are easy to access.
If several family members are helping, make sure to decide ahead of time who’s responsible for each part of the move.
If you’re hiring a moving company, on the other hand, the same thing applies. Make sure everyone involved knows what they’re responsible for doing.
And this is where full-service senior relocation and move management can make a huge difference.
Rather than leaving your family to keep track of several disconnected pieces, one coordinated team can manage the practical details while keeping your parent’s comfort and preferences in mind.
If you’re moving a parent into assisted living and need help managing the practical details, contact A Step Forward.
We can help with the move before, during, and after moving day while treating your parent, their home, and their belongings with patience and respect.