If grandma’s time to move homes has come around and you found yourself asking where does one even start, this is the guide for you.
Helping a senior citizen through the many changes in this late stage of life is an honor and a challenge. Good on you for reading up to help them through this important transition.
Tips to help ease the transition on the grandparents
A move is already a very difficult task at a young age. If you add to that the familiarity with their home and habits, a move is ten times harder when elderly. Make sure they are not alone and can ease into all the new.
By providing your grandparents with support, understanding, and encouragement, you can help ease their move to their new home and ensure they feel supported and loved throughout the moving process.
Here are some tips to help with what matters:
1. Open Communication
Talk openly with your grandparents about the reasons for the move, their timeline, and involve them in the decision-making process as much as possible. Make sure to talk about any concerns and anxiety they have about the move.
Make sure they feel loved and cared for. This process can cause extra stress and affect any medical conditions they have.
2. Visit the New Location
If possible, with their health and distance, take your grandparents on a visit to the new location before the move. Show them around the neighborhood, introduce them to local coffee shops, and help them get familiar with their new surroundings.
If they are moving to an old age home, make the place feel cool and alive, show them the bright side of them moving to an assisted living care and help them feel proud of their new home.
3. Downsize
If your grandparents are downsizing their space as part of the move for the new smaller house or to an assisted living room, offer to help them declutter and organize their belongings in a fun manner. Go through their things with respect, slowly and let them tell you about the memories behind those pieces they choose to keep and release.
Respect their sentimental attachments to items but encourage them at the same time to let go of things they no longer need.
Make sure you help them organize any old photos into albums and preserve the photos by scanning them onto the cloud so your family can keep passing them to the younger generations.
4. Routines
Encourage your grandparents to maintain their routines as much as possible after the move. This may include continuing with their regular activities, hobbies, and social engagements to provide a sense of stability and familiarity.
5. Community
Help your grandparents feel connected with their friends and old community even after the move. They may need a ride back to their old neighborhood or help organizing a get together. This is a sensitive time. Try to prioritize this for them.
Encourage your grandparents to join new social groups, hobbies, clubs, or religious places in their new area where they can meet new people and make friends.
6. Set Up Their New Home
It isn’t just the move that they need help with, it is actually settling into their new home that matters as well. Assist your grandparents with setting up their new place to make it comfortable, homey and familiar.
Help them unpack all the boxes as soon as possible so they won’t feel displaced, arrange their furniture, and decorate their new space according to their preferences. Try to keep things similar to how they were.
7. Encourage Independence
Encourage your grandparents to explore their new neighborhood even after you leave, and to engage in activities that interest them. Help them sign up for activities in their new home or area that they can attend alone and meet more people like themselves.
Empower them to make their own decisions and take ownership of their new life in the new location. This can be by starting back an old hobby, cooking for the grandkids in the new kitchen or any idea that they connect with.
8. Visits
Set in your schedule regular visits and calls with your grandparents after the move to check in on them and offer support. They will likely feel displaced at the start and your presence is critical.
Plan a family gathering, meal, or special events to give them something to look forward to either at their place if it makes sense, or at a restaurant in their area and help them feel connected to their loved ones during these changing times.
9. Emotional Support
Be patient and understanding as your grandparents adjust to their new surroundings.
Listen to their issues, struggles, and provide emotional support as often as possible. Offer reassurance and encouragement as they undergo this transition.
10. Seek Professional Help
If your grandparents are really struggling to adjust to the move or experiencing feelings of loneliness or depression, encourage them to seek professional help from a therapist or counselor who specializes in supporting older adults through life transitions.
Don’t feel that their entire move should be on your shoulders. Lean on your family during these times to really support one another.
Small things to consider when moving them to an assisted living center
- Their space will be much smaller than their former house in most cases, they will really need to get rid of old belongings or put things in storage.
- Moving can feel lonely. Take the time to introduce your grandparents to the staff and residents at the assisted living center. Encourage them to socialize and participate in activities the center offers.
- Moving to an assisted living center is a big life change and can be emotionally challenging for grandparents to swallow, so be sure to provide them with emotional support and reassurance throughout the process.
- Make sure your grandparents understand how to use any assistive devices, have access to all their medicines and know where to find them in the new house, and that they know who to contact if they need assistance.
- Be patient and understanding with your grandparents as they adjust to their new surroundings. It might cause changes in their attitude and mood. Be there for them for this.
Concluding Thoughts
You are a great grandchild or child for helping your grandparents through this important life transition. Don’t forget to take the time you need personally while helping lower stress levels for your grandparents.
Follow the tips above to make their transition easier and best of luck from Pricing Van Lines. We would be proud to help make their move as simple as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tipping my movers a must?
Yes. They are hard workers helping you get from A to B. Tipping between 15-20% is expected by movers and drivers alike. Think of it as if you’ve gone to a restaurant and left without tipping- not cool. Plan ahead for these costs so you aren’t surprised. Trust us.
How long does it take to move all my utilities over to my new home?
It’s difficult to give an exact time estimate, as different service providers have varied wait times on the phone, but on average around 20-30 minutes per call per utility should be more than enough if you have your information and meter reading handy. You should be able to do it all the same day.
Why would using a packing service be a must?
Professional packers are not a must, but will work at Lightspeed to get all your items packed up safely. While you might get stuck sorting through old junk, they will have your entire home packed up and bubble-wrapped in no time. If you are in a time crunch, in the midst of important work projects, or just want to feel like a queen, consider using a packing full-service moving option.
How can I know if the mover I chose is a scammer or cheater?
If any company you are considering asks you to pay the entire amount up front or pay a huge down payment, this is a really bad sign of a scammer. You shouldn’t pay more than 10% to a mover that has yet to do the job.
While down payments are common, a huge amount of funds should not be spent on them. You should also check that your mover has a DOT registration number and no recent bad accident records or claims.
What is the most important thing to know about booking a mover?
Know that you are working with a trusted and honest service provider. If you have even a flicker of doubt, walk away. Don’t try to cut corners and save on an unreputable mover, as we promise you, as you will end up paying way more in hidden fees and damages. Or avoid all this and book long distance movers with Pricing Van Lines.
