Moving can be stressful for anyone, but it’s particularly stressful for seniors. On top of hiring movers, packing, and setting up a new home, there is the emotional toll of leaving a house the senior may have lived in for decades. If a move seems overwhelming, a “senior move manager” may be able to help.
Senior move managers are a new profession dedicated to helping the elderly with all the emotional and physical aspects of moving. The tasks a move manager can assist with include:
- Developing a plan for the move
- Sorting through belongings and arranging the sale or donation of unwanted items
- Packing
- Hiring and overseeing movers
- Drawing up floor plans of the new home to help plan the new space
- Unpacking and setting up the new home
- Helping to prepare the old home for sale
- Removing waste, cleaning, and shopping
Move managers can also help seniors who plan to stay in their own homes but need assistance organizing their homes to allow them to age in place.
Move managers often have backgrounds in gerontology, social work, health care, nursing, or psychology. Some charge an hourly fee and some charge a flat rate. In addition, if just a little extra help is needed, it may be possible to hire a manager to assist with just one part of a move (such as packing) rather than an entire move.
The National Association of Senior Move Managers offers a referral network of nearly 500 providers throughout North America. Its members must provide references and prove they have insurance. To find a member near you, call 877-606-2766 or visit www.nasmm.org.
