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Care Facility Moves Made EasierFamilies can Reduce Stress by Using a Senior Moving Service
When a move to a care facility is the best option for senior adults, a service specializing in coordinating all aspects of the relocation can reduce the guilt and stress.
When the senior adult moves into a care facility it may not be what he wants, but what he needs. Taking care of the details can be stressful. A senior moving service may offer a solution. Even the Right Choice can be DifficultWhen a care facility is the right choice for older adults, some of the problems and stress can be taken off of the family when the burden and blame is put on others. Arthur and Mary Ellen Pluim of Moving Made Easy, a company specializing in ‘Carefree moves for seniors’, say “Anger and frustration are common emotions during needed moves of seniors”. According to the American Society on Aging in 2004 12% of the population was 65 or older. By 2030 20% will be 65 and older; those 85 years and older will show the greatest increase. Many of these seniors will move to care facilities. The move can damage family relationships causing rifts between parents and children and between adult children. Rifts can result when family members blame one another for the needed move, according to Pluim. He says there is no reason for guilt when the move is needed for the senior’s safety and well being. Anger often starts with the senior’s feelings that “I took care of you, why won’t you take care of me?” The move is perceived as a form of abandonment. When an Alternative is NeededService providers specializing in senior moves offer a partial solution. They suggest employing a third party to orchestrate the move and coordinate with the care facility. Once it is decided a move is needed, a non-family member experienced in moving seniors to care facilities, can be assigned to handle the details. This can reduce the stress within the family. Moving Solutions recommends that if family members
A local senior moving service can suggest appropriate arrangements and perform the move. Reducing TraumaProviders can shoulder blame from both the senior and the family. Whoever is selected to fill this role should be able to do so without taking it personally. They can make the decisions needed to move the senior. They are less influenced by the high emotions during the move. According to Social Work Today, the senior will likely suffer from Relocation Stress Syndrome, transfer trauma. The moving service provider can reduce the trauma by making the new home look and feel comfortable and familiar before the senior arrives. Services offer to pack the seniors home and help with decisions about the possessions the new facility will accommodate. They can assist the family and the senior in deciding what to do with items that won’t fit in the new home. Easing the TransitionTo minimize the feeling of being dislocated the provider may pack up the home, have the belongings moved and set up in the senior’s new home in a day or two once the actual move begins. Services that specialize in senior moves can offer many services in addition to the move. They can work with the care facility to ensure the senior’s transition to their new lifestyle is less stressful. Mr. Pluim says that they offer an orientation for seniors. Many of the seniors' fears are put to rest when they know what to expect. Their stress is reduced when they know the process of moving and settling in to their new home. The family’s stress is reduced when a trustworthy third party handles the details. A move into a care facility is rarely an easy transition. Contracting with a senior adult moving service may reduce the stress on everyone involved. Once the family decides a move to a care facility is needed, the next step may be to contact a senior moving service to handle the details.
The copyright of the article Care Facility Moves Made Easier in Seniors' Health/Medicare is owned by Jon Thompson. Permission to republish Care Facility Moves Made Easier in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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