Once you've chosen a community, the move itself can feel overwhelming. Breaking it into steps makes it easier, and keeps your parent involved in decisions about their own home.
For the emotional side of a move, see our guide to moving a parent to senior living. If you're still choosing a community, start with our guide to choosing assisted living.
Six to eight weeks before
- Sign the residency agreement after reading it carefully, including move-out and price-change terms.
- Ask for the community's move-in packet and list of required forms.
- Schedule the health assessment or physician's report the community requires.
- Check that legal documents are in place, like powers of attorney and an advance directive1.
- Get a floor plan and measure rooms, closets and windows.
- Start sorting belongings. See downsizing tips for seniors.
Four weeks before
- Book movers, or line up family helpers and a truck.
- Decide what to do with items that won't come: give to family, donate or sell.
- Set up mail forwarding and change of address2.
- Tell Social Security, Medicare, pension plans, banks and insurers about the new address.
- Arrange transfer of prescriptions to the community's pharmacy, if needed.
- Ask about phone, internet and TV setup in the apartment.
Two weeks before
- Make a current medicine list and give it to the community.
- Gather health records, insurance cards and doctor contacts.
- Label clothing and belongings with your parent's name.
- Plan the layout of the apartment with your parent.
- Cancel or transfer utilities and services at the old home.
- Fill a two-week supply of medicines and toiletries.
What to pack
Space is usually smaller than at home, so choose carefully. Check the community's list of what's provided and what's not allowed.
| Category | What to bring |
|---|---|
| Furniture | Bed (if not provided), favorite chair, small table, dresser, lamp |
| Clothes | About a week or two of easy-care outfits, shoes with good grip, a coat |
| Bathroom | Toiletries, towels if not provided, non-slip mat |
| Kitchen | A few mugs and plates, snacks, a small fridge if allowed |
| Personal | Photos, artwork, books, a familiar blanket, hobby supplies |
| Health | Glasses, hearing aids, dentures, mobility aids, chargers |
| Documents | Copies of IDs, insurance cards, legal papers |
Leave valuables, large sums of cash and important original papers with family.
Setting up a safe, familiar apartment
A new apartment should feel like home and be safe to move around in. A few choices make a big difference:
- Arrange furniture to keep clear, wide paths to the bed, bathroom and door.
- Skip loose rugs, or secure them with non-slip backing.
- Put the most-used items within easy reach, between waist and shoulder height.
- Add night lights from the bed to the bathroom.
- Place the favorite chair where your parent can see the window or TV.
- Hang photos and familiar pictures where they'll be seen every day.
Falls are a leading cause of injury for older adults, and a new space can be disorienting at first3.
Moving day
- Set up first. If you can, set up the apartment before your parent arrives, with the bed made and photos on the wall.
- Keep your parent comfortable. Let them spend the morning with a family member, away from the packing.
- Arrive together. Meet key staff, review the care plan and find the call button.
- Unpack the essentials. Medicines, toiletries, nightclothes and a familiar blanket first.
- Stay for a meal. Share lunch or dinner in the dining room together.
The first weeks
Adjusting takes time. Some people settle in within weeks; others take a few months. Feeling lonely or sad at first is common. Encourage your parent to try activities and meals in the dining room, since social ties support well-being4.
- Visit and call regularly, but leave room for new routines.
- Meet with staff after a couple of weeks to review how things are going.
- Make sure medicines and care are going as planned.
- Bring small comforts as you learn what's missing.
Keep your parent involved
It's easy for adult children to take over the planning. But the more your parent decides, the more the new place will feel like theirs. Let them choose which furniture and keepsakes to bring, where things go, and how the walls are decorated. If memory is a concern, keep choices simple, such as picking between two options. Talking honestly about feelings, including sadness about leaving home, is part of the process. Our guide to talking to parents about assisted living has ideas.
If problems come up
If you have concerns about care, talk with the care manager or administrator first. If problems aren't resolved, your state's long-term care ombudsman program can help residents with complaints5. You can also check a community's state inspection records; see how to check licenses and inspections.
