Moving For Seniors: Their Four (4) Biggest Challenges

Although it’s very exciting and can be a great experience, moving can also be a difficult experience for people of any age. 

For Seniors it can be difficult emotionally, mentally, logistically, and physically. 

Although there can be many challenges for seniors when they move, here are the four biggest challenges of moving for seniors.

Challenge #1. Uprooting After Decades In The Same Place! 

Rarely have I met someone in their 70’s, 80’s, or 90’s who just moved into their current home a few years ago. 

For most, they’ve been living in the same place for decades. 

Unless we are in their shoes we can’t truly grasp how emotionally scary & exhausting it can be for many seniors to start fresh at that stage of life. 

It’s not like trying a new salad dressing. It is after all – their HOME. We’ve all heard “home is where the heart is”. 

It’s also where they feel most comfortable, safe, and where all of their memories are. 

Many years ago when I first became a Realtor and used to knock on doors to find new clients I would occasionally stumble across a home where a senior would answer the door. 

I’d ask if they were planning to move any time soon. 

The most common response I got was; “I’m not leaving here until they carry me out in a box” followed by a smile and a chuckle. 

They were trying to be funny but they were 100% serious.

We’ve all heard things like “We come into this world needing to be taken care of and we leave this world needing to be taken care of. 

There are many parallels that have been drawn between humans in their first ten to twenty years of life and final ten to twenty years of life.

Well ironically, another similarity is when a child is petrified of a new experience, even though their parents assure them it will be ok. 

But, then when they try that experience they love it and can’t believe they didn’t try it sooner. 

Similarly, most (if not all) seniors who I first saw resisting the idea of moving, downsizing, or transition to a seniors (assisted living) community actually found themselves with more energy, happier, and more vitality once they settled in their new home with new friends around them every day. 

Challenge #2. Physical Constraints!

I’ve moved a few times myself over the past few years. 

Just getting ready for moving days takes a lot of physical effort, mental preparation, planning, and a lot of energy to stay focused and get everything done like clockwork. 

While some seniors might be dealing with health issues, even the healthiest seniors don’t have the physical abilities they did in their middle-age years. 

For seniors the physical component isn’t just about hiring great movers for moving day. 

It’s about finding help to pack, unpack, purge, declutter, and many things leading up to selling their home and/or moving day. 

Challenge #3: Purging, Decluttering, & Down-sizing!

Everyone (and I mean everyone) manages to accumulate ‘things’ over the years. 

Not just the things we’ve received over the years as gifts, or travel souvenirs, or hobbies we no longer enjoy. 

But also, lots of ’stuff’ we didn’t even know we have. 

Stuff lost in a drawer or at the bottom of those boxes in the basement, or in the back of our closets hidden behind more ‘stuff’. 

When you’re moving into a living space half or often less than half the size you’re moving out of, every single item you own requires a personal decision about whether or not to pack it, give it away, donate, sell, or dispose of it. 

Sometimes the time of physical effort to pack, donate, sell, or dispose can be overwhelming. 

And for many seniors simply making these decisions for so many things they own (many bringing back memories) can be overwhelming. 

And yet, like I said earlier, after those tough decisions are made, and they are settled in their new home, most seniors feel relieved and happier without all of that ‘stuff’ all around them. 

Challenge #4: Help From Family & Friends!

I remember growing up when half my family lived in the same community. 

And the other half lived within a 20 minute drive from each other. 

But as the world grows, and people get older, start families, have kids, change jobs, and lead their own lives following their own dreams, all of these things takes people in different directions and distances from each other. 

Sometimes seniors have children who have followed a career or spouse across the country, or to a different city or province. 

And even if their children and grandchildren are still local, they have very busy lives of their own now. 

Seniors often need to depend on people other than their family and friends to prepare for a move. 

If you’re a senior thinking of moving, or you know of seniors thinking of moving, please keep in mind that I’m not only an award-winning Realtor who understands the unique differences in helping seniors sell their home, move, and transition. 

But I also have professionals to help with every aspect of moving seniors. 

Professionals to help purge & declutter. 

To help donate, sell, or dispose of things no longer needed. 

To help pack and then unpack and help you settle into your new home. 

Movers, and more. 

All who not only understand exactly what services seniors need, but all of us also provider our service with the highest level of patience, understanding & compassion, and integrity. 

So If you’re a senior thinking of moving, or you know of seniors thinking of moving, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I’d be happy to have a friendly chat and answer your questions. 

No pressure & no obligation. 

I just love to help.