Relocating In Later Life – Top Tips For A Successful Move

There are many reasons why you might decide to relocate in later life.

You might want to be closer to friends and family, or you might be moving into a care home or senior living community. You might decide to relocate because there’s somewhere you’ve always wanted to live, but work commitments made it impossible in the past. You might just fancy a change. But moving is always a challenge, and it can be harder to move and settle into a new home once you are older. Here are some tips to help you enjoy a successful move in later life.

Do Some Research

When we’re younger, we typically move for work or school, which gives us an easy way to make friends. When you move in later life, there won’t be the same ways to make easy connections. Before you move, make sure you do plenty of research. You’ll want to know about things like healthcare, but it’s also worth researching social groups, libraries, community centers, places to exercise, and other groups, which could help you to make friends. If you can, reach out online and start making some social connections before your move.

Respect Your Needs

The last time you moved, your wish list might have included things like a large garden and being close to amenities. Your wish list in later life might look a lot different, but it’s important that you acknowledge what you need now, and what you’ll need in the future. Living on one floor might be more important than a garden and being close to a hospital might take priority.

Get the Right Help

In later life, you’ll probably need a lot more help with a move than you might have done the last time you did it. Make sure you hire movers, and that you’ve got plenty of people to help you pack and unpack and tackle anything else on your to-do list.

Think About Your Own Transport

Once you’ve planned for movers to come and relocate your possessions, you should think about your own move. When you were younger, you might have been tempted to drive across the country alone. But if you have medical or mobility issues, this might not be a good idea. Fortunately, there’s help for seniors moving long distance, which could include someone flying with you to care for your needs on the journey.

Commit to Your Move

Moving is a big thing in anyone’s life. Once you’ve decided that you want to move, make sure you commit to the idea fully. Throw yourself into the preparation and the move itself; you’ll enjoy it more and find it easier to settle into your new life.

Give Yourself Time to Settle

Don’t panic if it takes time to settle and feel at home. We get set in our ways, and a move can change everything. Give yourself time, get out and meet people, and you’ll soon feel more comfortable.

Moving to a new area can be a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, bond with your family, and discover new interests. It’s never too late to tackle a big move, just make sure you are careful and you look after yourself.