A Compassionate Guide
Home relocation is always a stressful experience for everyone, but it poses unique problems in physically frail elderly people, who have sentimental and practical problems with relocation, as well as coordinating the process of vacating their home. When assisting an elderly family member or a friend to relocate essential tips should include; Below are the steps that if Followed make the process easier, hassle-free and most importantly honouring.
1. Plan Early and Be Organized
Transferring entails a great deal of preparation, especially in a case when a person can take a little extra time to get used to the change.
Steps to Take:
- Create a timeline: Divide work into sub-tasks; arrange them in sequential order of time and split over a number of weeks.
- Make a checklist: Tasks such as cleaning, labelling, organizing transportation and moving, as well as unpacking and organizing new homes respectively.
- Schedule in advance: Arrange movers, a man with a van, or cleaners ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about finding one at the last minute.
A timely planning process means most people will be able to adjust with ease and there won’t be that feeling that something is being forced.
2. Involve Them in Decisions
Transportation can be very stressful to elderly persons due to feelings of being out of order once they have to move either from their longtime family home or anywhere else they have lived for some time.
What to do –
- Ask them about any strategic choices including what needs to remain where or in the new home.
- Remember they cherish some objects, just because they are sentimental, even though these objects may be of no real use to you.
- Perhaps use friendly words to ensure they come and check the new home and how it feels.
In this way, you don’t make the otherwise invasive move seem like an imposition, but an affirmative step towards their inclusion.
3. Declutter with Sensitivity
Retirement can mean moving to a new place but this is among the most poignant in terms of change. When helping them Go through their items, be gentle.
Tips for Decluttering:
- Begin with the areas that are not so emotionally charged such as the family room, kitchen or bathroom.
- Organize clothes by using the ‘keep, donate, throw away’ system.
- Explain where personal mementoes came from and ponder about how to capture the items which are too valuable to be transported.
- If there is unused equipment or other items that one cannot bear to throw then they should be donated or disposed to recycle to give it a new home.
4. Hire Professional Help
Heavy furniture and boxes, which may need to be transported, can be so much fun to carry. Man with a van or professional movers is safe and effective for the hiring process.
Benefits of Professional Movers:
- Some staffers received training on how to deal with large or delicate shipments.
- Locating a reputable home care agency to provide care services to you and or your elder relative can minimize the physical stress on you and your elderly loved one.
- Help with washing and cleaning, bearing the costs of packing and unpacking as well as assembling furniture.
- Choose the moving company which is carrying out the senior moving to avoid any mishaps or disrespect to the seniors.
5. Address Safety Concerns
Mobility of elderly people is often characterized by a higher risk of falls or other accidents; therefore, safety is a considerable issue.
How to Ensure Safety:
- There should be clear passageways to avoid any tripping risks when packing, moving or during the whole process.
- In the moving of large items, you should use equipment such as dollies or lifting straps.
- Take daily prescribed prescriptions, documents, and loose comfortable clothes accompanied by other important necessaries in a separate bag of convenient reach.
- When getting to the new house, always make sure to arrange their bedroom first, the bathroom and the kitchen to prevent confusion.
6. Manage Emotional Stress
When people are finally evicted from a long-time home, the mood that such elderly people develop may be sad, anxious, or even grieving. Be supportive of the employee during the entire procedure.
Ways to Help:
- Try and listen to what they are saying, and do not objectify them and their feelings.
- Part of positive interactions and reminiscing of the new home.
- This is why parents or close friends should also be engaged for more support.
If they are having a lot of problems, there should be a counsellor or therapist who deals with elderly people, who are going through such changes.
Cleaning an elderly person’s house is something that would need time, some planning and most importantly compassion. Thus, by making them participate in decisions, hiring outside professionals such as a man with a van, and helping with both the physical and the emotional, the change is kept as positive as it can be.
However, the primary focus is to bear that burden and help them to complete a significant life process with consideration.
