Moving house is always said to be one of the top three most stressful things a person can embark upon, and when the date for moving from your own home into an assisted living facility comes, you might inevitably be confronted with a mixture of emotions and feelings.
In an effort to help you make this transition, if not easier, then certainly run significantly more smoothly, you should definitely continue reading. Here is a simple guide to aid the transition into an assisted living community.
Start Packing Early
The sooner you start packing and deciding what you want to bring with you to your new home and what you would like to leave in the safekeeping of family members and close friends and what to donate to worthy charities, the better.
Some people prefer to hire a specialist moving company that deals exclusively with residents moving to assisted living communities, but if you want to deal with everything yourself, then recruit your loved ones to help. Be sure to prioritize the most important and sentimental items and pack everything securely, so nothing is damaged in transit.
Make sure that everything is clearly labeled and that you have invested in secure and high-quality moving boxes so that nothing breaks on the way to your new home. Another fantastic idea to aid your transition for the first few days is to create a ‘first morning’ box, which contains everything you always need and use every single morning, such as toiletries, your spectacles, and nightwear.
Take Care of Logistics
Obviously, things such as canceling your gas and electricity services to your current home cannot be done in plenty of time, but this and other last-minute tasks should not be neglected.
Contact your current utility services, keep a separate copy of your loved ones’ telephone numbers and addresses in your wallet or purse, and make sure to also contact the United States postal service to forward your mail from the date you move.
Visit Your Medical Doctor
After you have been given the official moving date, you should also make a proper, face-to-face appointment with your medical doctor for a full check-up, which is the best way of ensuring the treatment you receive is tailored to you. On the other hand, if you’re the loved one of a family member moving to an assisted living facility or another type of care residency, you’ll need to ensure that your loved one gets checked over before they make the move.
Plus, you’ll also need to ensure that the facility they’re going to does indeed cater to the level of care they need. For example, the facilities for memory care Draper has are more focused on residents with more complex needs, whereas other centers might be tailored to older adults that are still independent but simply need a little helping hand with daily tasks.
Whatever the case, whether for yourself or for a loved one who is moving to one of these communities, ask for a full physical check-up appointment and furthermore, ask to be sent a detailed copy of the most recent medical records, including a list of any medication currently being taken and extra supplies of said medicine.
One Week to Go…
In the last week or so before you make the permanent move to your new home, it is time to contact your new assisted living community to confirm that all relevant paperwork has been received and that you have submitted everything you need to sign to them.
Make sure that you are fully aware of the visiting hours whereby family and friends can join and help you settle into your new home, although, in the vast majority of cases, loved ones are free to come and go as they wish during daylight hours.