55+ Living Guide Magazine Spring/Summer 2018 Spring 2018 | Page 38

WHAT I WISH I KNEW THEN by Alison Michael Ten years ago, I was faced with moving mom and dad up to the NY Capital Region from NJ where they had been lifelong residents. Both in their mid-70’s at that time, they were living in their home of over 45 years that they cherished, but had outgrown. With a brother out in Long Island, they chose to make the move to the Capital Region to be closer to my husband and I, but more importantly to their newly born grandson. With over 200 miles and a very pregnant belly between us, it made it impossible for me to help them in the capacity I would have liked. At that time, mom was still working, making much free time hard to find and while dad tried his best to sort through, declutter, organize and pack up their accumulated life’s possessions, he fell short with no real plan. The emotional toll that fell on them with the anticipation of their moving day far surpassed anything I could have imagined. I’ll never forget speaking with my dad the day before the move. When I asked him if they were ready, he replied that mom had still not touched the kitchen. It really become apparent to me that they weren’t ready for the move but it was too late turn back now. They were both paralyzed in fear of the unknown and a loss of control. Packing up a home they had moved in together in 1958 and raised their family was too much for them. It was emotionally & physically draining. Where to begin? What will we do with the stuff we’re not taking? What do we want to take? How will it fit into our much smaller apartment we’re moving into? Everywhere they turned was a memory, an emotional attachment. I wish I knew then that there are professionals that, for a fee, can assist with the stages of moving to ease the transition. Hiring a professional like this would have made the transition much smoother and helped ease the emotional toll it took on all of us, but mostly mom and dad. 38 Enter a... Senior Move Manager What is a Senior Move Manager? A Senior Move Manager according to the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), are in the “profession that assists older adults and their families with the emotional and physical aspects of relocating and/or aging in place” Senior Move Management for Seniors and Their Families! Senior Moves By Design Our services assist seniors to relocate into new living spaces, including downsizing, packing, moving, and interior updates. Holly Pajak, Founder Call Today! [phone] 55PlusLivingGuide.com [email protected] SeniorMovesNY.com