As your parents grow older, you may ask them to move in with you so that they can spend the last phase of their lives among family. The process of moving can be a stressful event for your aged parents, and it must be handled with care and empathy. You’ll want your parents to feel at home and have their own space, but it’s impossible to move the contents of their entire house into one bedroom. Luckily, we can offer some ideas on how to make this process a little easier.
Throw out or donate extra belongings
There’s a good chance that your parents have collected a LOT of belongings over the years. Not all of that stuff will be coming to your house so you can either get rid of it or store it. If you can, we recommend donating as much as possible to charities like St. Vincent de Paul or Enable Ireland.
Create a space just for them
While you can’t change everything in your house for your parents, you can ensure they have
their own bedroom and bathroom. Many families use this as an opportunity to build a suite in their basement, complete with a bathroom, kitchenette, bedroom, and living room. Others opt for the trendy “granny pod,” a sort of miniature home that goes in your backyard. Either way, choosing “senior-friendly” options, like a walk-in bathtub or shower can help your parents maintain independence and be able to do more things by themselves as they get older. Decorating with family photos will make the space feel more like home and less like a temporary arrangement, making the transition a little easier.
Store excess belongings
Your parents are likely moving into one room from a home full of belongings. Consider storing excess furniture, old knick-knacks, musical instruments, kitchenware, and other items in self-storage for later use. Storing these items helps remind your parents that these still belong to them and that you aren’t simply going to throw it all away. Also, all these extra supplies can make great items to hand down to your own children when they move into their own space!
