Moving with seniors is far more challenging than the usual relocation. It involves concerns that you have to take seriously to make sure they have a happy and safe transition. With a little extra thought and careful preparation, you can make moving more manageable for everyone, particularly to your aging loved one.
If you’re moving with them soon, here are a few tips on how to ensure the safety of seniors during the entire process.
1. Prepare for a supportive conversation
More than anything else, communication may be an essential part of the moving process. Planning for relocation with your senior loved one will not be as smooth as possible if you and they aren’t on the same page. There’s no doubt that there can be some disagreements, but communication can probably fill in the gap. Thus, it’s imperative to keep the dialogue consistent and open.
Prepare to engage in supportive discussion with them so you can let them understand the reasons why the family has to relocate. By talking and allowing them to express their feelings and desires, they can eventually accept the fact that they’re moving soon. Moreover, when there’s acceptance, they will more likely cooperate, thus, making sure their safety throughout the move.
2. Downsize
Usually, clutter piles up in your aging loved one’s room which can be detrimental to the health and safety of everyone in the house including your senior family member. That said, it’s, therefore, essential to downsize before the big day. When downsizing, keep your senior loved one in a safe and clutter-free place to ensure they’ll not get stressed easily with all the movements around the house. While they stay in a quiet room, go through room by room and start making piles for all the things to be kept, discarded, and donated.
However, you should remember that most seniors have difficulty letting some of their items go, particularly if they have emotional significance. To make sure this will not be a safety concern along the way, consider hiring professional movers near me who offers a storage unit. Using storage can be a great option to keep large items they’d like to hang on but can’t be brought to your new house due to space issues.
3. Plan your aging loved one’s medical care
Whether you’re moving locally or across the country, your senior family member’s health should always be a top priority. By paying attention to their health, you can ensure their safety throughout the move. To do this, be sure to request their medical records and set an appointment with their doctors as much as possible. Buy all the needed prescriptions so you’ll be ready with anything that may happen along the way.
Also, don’t forget to call your mail order prescription providers and inform them that you’re moving. Give them your new address as well as the final date of your move so that all refilled prescriptions will be automatically sent to your new place.
4. Be ready with the moving essentials
Seniors have unique needs. In other words, you need to keep these needs in mind to keep them safe during the move. Get ready with a “travel kit” which contains a few weeks’ clothing and toiletries of your aging loved one, their medications, doctors’ contact numbers, and other relevant documents such as insurance or health cards. By preparing these moving essentials for your senior family member, you can ensure their safety when an emergency arises.
5. Keep an eye on weather conditions
It’s common knowledge that moving for seniors in the cold or during the storm can be difficult. That’s because they have fragile bones and compromised immune systems. Thus, before the moving day, knowing the weather condition on that day can be the best way to keep them safe from inclement weather. Moreover, having a backup plan in the event, a storm strikes on your scheduled move-in date can also be a huge help. This is to make sure your aging loved one will not end up in the hospital for pneumonia or a broken bone due to a slippery fall.
6. Hire a professional company
When it comes to moving, some specialists are available to help make the process safe and less stressful for your aging family member. These people are highly trained in terms of the intricacies involved in moving senior citizens. If you’re relocating to New York City, consider working with moving companies NYC to help you handle all aspects of the process. That way, you’re reducing the amount of stress you and your senior loved ones.
7. Check accessibility points
Moving with a senior citizen means checking the accessibility points along the way to make sure there’ll be no issues involved. In this case, identify the number of stairs, elevators or lifts in your new environment. Don’t also forget to determine whether a wheelchair can access your new house. To do all of these, visit the place beforehand and get ready with the installation of safety measures such as handles and no-slip surfaces and some support devices when necessary.
Conclusion
Indeed, there’s no easy way to move with your senior family member. However, by following the safety tips mentioned above, you can successfully keep your loved one safe while moving. Once the moving is done, spend quality time and help them get accustomed to the new place. That way, you can ensure their overall health and well-being.
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