Moving from a family home full of memories to an independent living apartment can be challenging for anyone, but especially your senior loved one. Although there is plenty to be excited about when it comes to senior living communities, they will need time to adjust to the change.
Use the following tips to ensure your loved one has a smooth transition to independent senior living. Remember: Each person’s experience is different. As you implement strategies to help your loved one get settled, approach the process with empathy and flexibility and prioritize your loved one’s needs and preferences.
Tips for a Smooth Transition to Independent Senior Living
Moving can be both exciting and challenging. Here are some essential tips to make the move to an independent living community a little easier.
Spend Time Rightsizing Before the Move
Get started early to ensure your loved one has a smooth transition to independent senior living. A large part of this is helping your loved one rightsize their possessions.
Rightsizing consists of focusing on items that best accommodate the new life your loved one is creating. Which items truly bring joy? How does your loved one envision their day-to-day life? Considering these points can help your loved one determine what they want to bring with them in this next step of their journey.
Rightsizing early can eliminate the stress of organizing items and help avoid a rush to organize closer to the move. You and your loved one can set intentional goals to rightsize each area of their residence and make the process feel more natural.
Customize Your Loved One’s Apartment
Home means something different to everyone, so follow your senior loved one’s cues. As much as you can, help them decorate their new home to turn it into a comforting sanctuary.
That could mean decorating with beloved items like artwork or keepsakes from grandchildren. If space is a concern, digital picture frames can display plenty of pictures without taking up room. The key here is helping your senior loved one surround themselves with cherished items that make their apartment their home.
Focus on the Positives of the Transition
Get your loved one excited about independent senior living. Discuss the comfortable living spaces, delicious dining options, and wide range of amenities and activities that independent living communities offer.
Your loved one can keep their social calendar as full as they want and enjoy the benefits of fitness classes, regular outings, and more. And they’ll have plenty of time to pursue their passions or just relax with the low-maintenance lifestyle that comes from eliminating household chores.
Pack an Essentials Bag
Unpacking often isn’t a one-day process, and even the most organized person can misplace items in the shuffle. Ensure your loved one has an essentials bag packed and kept separate on move-in day.
Although the exact contents depend on your loved one’s unique needs and interests, here are some ideas of what to include in the essentials bag:
- Medications
- Important documents
- A change of clothes
- Pajamas for the evening
- Toiletries
- One or two hobby items, such as a puzzle or book
- A favorite comfort item, such as a blanket
Hire Movers
Hiring professional movers can be beneficial for a smooth transition to an independent living residence. They can handle the heavy lifting, enabling you to focus on your loved one.
It’s also important to check if your community has moving programs. For example, Bethesda offers the Moving with Ease Program, which provides up to $3,000 of assistance to older adults who move into one of our independent living apartments. Our program also includes specialists who help decorate, select furniture, and arrange belongings to maximize space while creating a welcoming atmosphere.
Your Ultimate Companion for a Smooth Transition
When you help your loved one move, you want to ensure they have a smooth, hassle-free transition so they can start enjoying the wonderful amenities and activities in their community.
Take a proactive approach to a smooth transition with the ultimate moving companion: Our free “Move-In Readiness Checklist.”
