Once you or a senior loved one have made the decision to move to an Indiana senior living community, all that stands in your way before starting the next phase of your life is actually moving. It can be incredibly overwhelming at any age, but especially so if you are an older adult who is downsizing. Instead of taking on the arduous task of doing everything yourself, you might want to consider hiring a senior move manager.?
What Is A Senior Move Manager?
A Senior Move Manager is a professional who helps older adults and their families with the physical and emotional components that come along with moving. According to the National Association of Senior Move Managers, true Senior Move Management professionals “have backgrounds in gerontology, social work, health care, nursing and psychology, others come to this industry from the corporate world of project management, technology, accounting or marketing.”
Hiring a Senior Move Manager can not only add more efficiency to your move, but can also add to your overall quality of life.?
How They Differ From a Moving Company?
While moving companies are known to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to boxes and furniture, they aren’t qualified to aid older adults with organizing, downsizing or cleaning. Senior Move Managers, on the other hand, are prepared to help make the process as easy as possible for you before you even start packing!?
Here are some of the additional services that a Senior Move Manager can help you with when moving to senior living:
- Putting together an overall move plan
- Organizing, sorting and downsizing your belongings
- Creating customized floor plans for your new living space
- Helping to organize a tag sale or auction to sell items you no longer need
- Hiring and dealing with a moving company and supervising them
- Assist you with unpacking and setting up your new home
- Cleaning, organizing and making arrangements for unneeded items to be disposed of
Questions to Ask a Potential Move Manager?
Since moving can be such an emotional journey, it’s best to do some research before hiring a Senior Move Manager. Your Senior Move Manager will essentially become an extended part of your family during your move, so the National Association of Senior Move Managers recommends asking the following questions during the hiring process:
- How long have you been providing Senior Move Management services?
- Have you participated in any formal training programs?
- Are you fully insured for liability and workers’ compensation?
- How do you charge? (Fees should be provided in writing to the consumer or responsible party prior to providing services)?
- Will you provide a written contract?
- Can you provide references?
While it may seem like a lot of work, taking time to hire the right company will help to ensure that everything runs smoothly during the moving process.
Additional Resources
In addition to moving, you may also be interested in talking to a professional about transitioning into this next phase of life or a realtor to help you sell your house. These resources for moving a senior in Indiana will come in handy and enable the entire process to run more smoothly.?
You can also contact your local Five Star Indiana community to help coordinate your move to senior living. With years of experience under their belts, our expert staff can help to coordinate the move into your new apartment and ensure that you start your senior living experience off right!