How to Move Your Elderly Parents?

When the tables turn and your parents start to need you more than you need them, there are often sacrifices to be made, but if you have an elderly member of the family staying with you and you need to get them through a house move as smoothly as possible, keep them in mind at all times to make the process as easy as possible for them and there for the rest of your family.

If your elderly family member has a carer, make arrangements for them to be on hand at all points during the move. A new house can be fairly inhospitable at first, even for a fully healthy person. Light fittings missing and the gas or electricity yet to be turned on can mean that the process is a lot more difficult for an elderly resident, and their carer will be able to look after them full time while you sort out the house with the rest of the family. If you find that their carer cannot make it on the right day or days, then look for other help, either from an agency, or enlist a family member to take on the responsibility. They may need to be quite strong and sturdy, however, as elderly relative may need help walking or getting into bed or baths.

Should the move be a long one, perhaps across the country, there should be precautions taken to keep your older family members comfortable. Long car journeys can be painful for any normal person, with cramp and sore legs getting the better of many, so if facing a particularly long drive then you may need to break it into a couple of days rather than one long trip, stopping at a Bed and Breakfast to let any frail relations get a rest from the travelling. While driving, be sure to pack refreshments for the whole family but take special care that weaker passengers have exactly what they need to remain at their best. It may be sensible to consider two cars on a longer trip, one following the van with the stronger members of the family to help the movers when they arrive, and one with the elderly and a member of the family to look after them, who can make more rest stops, or break for the night, without slowing down the move, or requiring an extra day for the removal men.

If your family should require it, keep space held in the car for medical needs, like wheelchairs, crutches and the like. Medicines themselves should obviously be kept from being packed away, as they will be hard to get to in case of an emergency if they are. Have a designated medical box if there are a large number of such items to be packed, and transport it in the same mode of transport as the patient who needs them. If they have to be packed in a van, then pack them last so that they can be accessed as quickly as possible if they are needed.

You will likely have considered any elderly or particularly frail members of the family when choosing your new property, but how will the new household up upon their initial arrival? Be careful to ensure that the place is fully fitted out with specialist equipment that may be needed before the move day so that there is no difficulty when your family first move in. Having to wait for a stairlift to be installed, or for bars to be put in the bathroom can mean a lot of problems and hassle for your elderly resident, until they are sorted out.

Hopefully, with our guide to getting the elderly moving in Chiswick, you’ll be worry and problem-free.