Making the move out of one’s home and into an assisted living facility, retirement home, retirement community, or nursing home is very stressful – not just for the loved one that is moving, but for those that are being left behind. It is essential to find ways to manage family stress during this period. It can be even tougher if you have had an aging parent or other family living with you because their absence will leave a huge void in your everyday home life. If you also have children living in the home, it is important to help them deal with the sadness of having the loved one move into a different housing arrangement.

Dealing with a Loved One’s Stress

Talk to your loved one, and listen to what he or she has to say. Although your loved one may or may not realize that moving into an alternative housing arrangement will improve her qualify of life, he or she will still likely experience a range of emotions. Some seniors are left feeling traumatized after moving to an assisted living home or nursing home, which is natural. Many seniors may see moving out of their own home or out of your home as a sign of defeat and loss of control. And of course, the senior will feel like their independence is faltering. Listening to your loved one is important because this allows you to understand their fears and hopes so that you can help make the transition to assisted living smoother for them. Talking to your loved one to help him or her to understand that moving is in her best interests, whether it is to receive better care or be around more people during the day so that the loved one doesn’t feel so isolated. Helping your loved one see the transition to a different place as being a positive occurrence rather than a means-to-an-end is a good start to alleviating their stress, and yours.

Avoid Selling the House

A big part of your loved one’s stress may be that they aren’t ready to part with their home. It is important that you don’t rush your loved one to sell their residence. Many seniors want to have their home on standby in case their new arrangement doesn’t work out. Moving is difficult enough without having the added worry that one’s home will be sold before they are ready to give the home up. If your loved one has assets that he or she can use in order to finance the move, or if you can let the loved one borrow the deposit or entrance fee that is needed for the move, then selling later is the best option. For those seniors moving to an apartment community where the purchase of a condo or apartment is required, they may qualify for a bridge loan that will cover the down payment until their residence is put on the market and sold.

Support after the Move

Although moving may be the best thing for your loved one, moving is an exhaustive process both emotionally and physically, no matter what age you are. An ideal assisted living community will have programs in place that will support your loved one during the transition, but you should make time available for additional visits to your loved one in the immediate days following the move so that he or she knows that her most valuable assets, his or her family and friends, are not going away and are still within easy reach.