After retirement, older adults tend to find more time to engage in activities like travelling, pursuing new hobbies, taking online courses, and more. There is an unprecedented amount of freedom in post-retirement life, but at the same time, some individuals may need additional support. As such, many individuals often choose to move into a retirement home or residential community.
While the idea of moving and changing locations can be fun and exciting, it’s true that for many older adults, moving from their long-time residences to a new environment can be a turning point that comes with its challenges.
Often, the relocating individual is faced with several key questions — What should they bring to their new residence? What can they leave behind? What happens to properties and items they cannot bring along? How should they prepare for moving?
Senior moving services and companies help people work through these questions and handle all details concerning the planning and implementation of the move. They may also provide downsizing tips to help older adults transition to retirement homes.
Seasons Retirement has gathered some vital information for older individuals preparing to move to a retirement residence, so read on for what you need to know before making the transition.
While this decision varies by individual, surprisingly, wintertime is a popular time for older adults to move into retirement homes.
Heavy snow downpours characterize Canadian winter, so houses require extra maintenance and landscaping, which older adults living alone may find difficult to carry out independently. Moving to a retirement home helps eliminate the stress of indoor and outdoor cleaning and maintenance, as the residence’s staff handles these activities.
While it may sound challenging, it’s possible to have your moving date scheduled in the middle of winter, and there are several reasons why it’s quite feasible.
However, most individuals will find the summertime to be an ideal timeframe in which to move and employ senior relocation services. It’s a given that most moving companies for seniors will find it much easier to perform their job during months when the weather is more pleasant and conducive to driving and shifting large items and furniture from one location to another.
If summer isn’t a good time, some spring and autumn months may also be a viable workaround, as conditions aren’t usually as bad as the wintertime.
Like there are moving companies for general use, moving companies for seniors exist. These companies have trained movers who make relocation easier for older adults.
Moving can become challenging when an older adult has several items of attachment and cannot seem to let them go. At this point, getting help from a loved one or relative is advised. Older adults can have their relatives over to help them box up their essential belongings and exclude items that won’t be useful in their new homes.
Inviting relatives to help pack for moving is a great idea, but it also has downsides. These loved ones may have developed a fondness for properties and items because of memories they created in the home.
Because of these challenges with packing belongings, movers for seniors are the best options for helping older adults with their relocation plans.
Movers for seniors facilitate easier and faster moving because they are a team of trained people with no emotional attachment to their customer’s belongings. While they are empathetic toward older adults’ moving challenges, they can make good decisions without emotions clouding their judgment.
Apart from transporting belongings from one residence to another, movers for seniors perform several other services, including:
With the help of moving companies for seniors, older adults can decide on items to bring along and ones to leave behind.
Essential and must-have items are sorted and packed in labelled boxes; things that are still useful but unwanted go into donation boxes; junk is discarded, and valuables are either kept away for safekeeping or liquidated. This process helps to trim down belongings to fit into an older adult’s new residence.
A customized floor plan of the new residence is created to help older adults visualize an arrangement of their properties. The floor plan also helps to determine what items can fit into the space available in the new home.
Moving companies for seniors can take charge of selling properties left behind. They supervise the sale of estates, contact a realtor, put valuables up for auctions, and ensure that these properties are sold off for their cash worth.
For valuables like antiques or vintage furniture, which the owners may want to hold on to but can’t fit into their new residence, senior moving services help transport and keep them in storage units for safekeeping.
Movers assist in offloading and unpacking their clients’ belongings at their new homes. They also help them arrange their new space to taste.
Transitioning into a retirement home can be overwhelming for older adults who may need to part ways with specific items they have grown attached to over the years.
Below are some ways to make moving easier for older people:
As already established, moving has its challenges and difficulties. However, senior moving services can help older adults transition into retirement homes, making the process easier and more seamless.