Helping Aging Parents Move :Setting Up A New Residence

Tips For Setting Up A New Home For Aging Parents

If you are the "chosen" adult child who gets to supervise or manage the move of your older parent(s), I want to share some wisdom on the subject while it's still early in the game. You may find yourself moving your mom or dad into a smaller apartment, Assisted Living facility or Congregate Housing etc. .

Set The Apartment Up BEFORE Parent(s) Move In

There is a plus to being able to set the apartment  BEFORE mom or dad arrives. You get to sort through years of accumulation and weed out what is essential and what is not. Not everything needs to come to the new residence. This is the time to set priorities and  take into consideration  critical factors such as safety, practicality and organization.

Suggestions To Help You Move in Mom And Dad 

1. Set the apartment up completely before mom or dad arrives. Many frugal older adults will balk at seeing you bring in NEW things once they have moved in. Buy stuff before.

2. Donate excess dishes, pots, housewares.

3. If pictures, linens, clothing, household items are musty, moldy, soiled, torn, broken ...don't bring them with you unless they are cleaned first. If they do not clean up....toss or thrift them.

4. Make a list of what drugstore and household items are frequently used and buy them ahead of time and store in closet. Example....paper towels, napkins, baby wipes (yes they come in handy), bathroom essentials etc.Buy a few of each so you are not running to the store all the time.

5. Consider bringing some of the clothing to a dry cleaners or laundry before you hang up in new apartment. Many aging adults have not been able to keep cloths fresh.

6. Keep a list in your home of what your parents genera;;y buy for household, groceries, drugstore. Believe me, when their memory gets fuzzy they won't be able to tell you the brands they use.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists