Parents may be moving closer to their children, shifting with the whole family or choosing a smaller house that is easier to look after. In each case, they will have their own questions about the new place and the things they want to take with them.
The family also needs to arrange the journey and make sure the new house is ready for them to use. These decisions are easier to discuss while there is still time to prepare.
Let’s go through what you can arrange when moving elderly parents to a new home without wasting any more time.
Talk through the move with your parents first
First, sit with your parents and go through the plan. Discuss when the family expects to shift, which room they will use and what will happen on moving day. If you can visit the new place together, take time to discuss which room they would prefer. If they are in another city, a video call can help you show the rooms and discuss where their belongings will go.
Then ask what they would like to handle themselves. One parent may want to sort the books personally, while the other would rather ask you to organise their things. Let each of them tell you what help would be useful.
Take the same approach with old belongings. A chair that looks replaceable to you may be the one they use every evening. If space is limited, discuss the choices together instead of deciding for them.
Start with one cupboard or one part of a room. Agree on what is coming before the packers arrive, and give your parents time to go through things that matter to them.
Walk through the new home before moving day
Try to visit the new house and walk through it as your parents would use it. Start at the entrance, go to their room and then check the bathroom. A quick viewing may not tell you everything you need to know.
Here are a few things to go through:
- Begin with the way into the house. See whether there are steps before the lift, whether the handrails are secure and how your parents will reach the flat. If they depend on the lift, ask the building team about its availability and the backup arrangements.
- Then check the space they will actually use. If a parent uses a walker or wheelchair, check that particular aid against the doorways and turns. A room may look spacious but still be awkward to enter or move around in.
- Look for things that need fixing before arrival. This could be a loose rug, a cable across the floor, poor lighting or a bathroom where support fittings are needed. Arrange the necessary work with a suitable person while the house is still being prepared.
The CDC’s home safety checklist gives practical checks for walking routes, stairs, lighting and bathroom support.
Also, find out how your parents will reach the services they use, such as a pharmacy or their ongoing medical care. Ask the society about moving permissions and lift timings too, so the household move can be arranged around the building’s rules.
Pack a bag that stays with your parents
Keep a separate bag for the journey and the first day. Pack it with your parents, show them where everything is and decide who will carry it. It should be easy to reach when they need something.
Start with their medicines. Check what supply they will need for the journey and until their usual arrangements are working at the new address. If a refill is needed, arrange it through their usual doctor or pharmacy before departure.
Write down which medicines they take, the prescribed amounts and when they take them, following their current prescription. Keep that list with their prescriptions. If another family member helps with their medicines during the move, give them the same instructions so nobody has to guess.
For storage, follow the instructions for each medicine. If one needs cooling, ask the pharmacist how to carry it during the journey. The FDA’s advice on medicine storage also explains why medicines should be kept away from extreme heat or cold. Don’t leave the bag in a parked car while everyone is busy with the move.
Then put in the other things they use every day:
- Keep glasses, hearing aids and their chargers or batteries where they can be found easily.
- Put in a change of clothes, toiletries, important personal documents, a phone and its charger.
- Arrange water and suitable food for the journey according to their usual needs.
Keep a walking aid available for the trip as well, if they use one. If ongoing treatment or a health condition affects the journey, discuss the travel arrangements with their treating team before fixing the plan.
Plan their journey separately from the household goods
Now comes the moving day. Decide how your parents will travel and who will deal with the household move. Where someone is accompanying them, allow that person to stay with them rather than also expecting them to answer every question from the packing crew.
Let’s say you are shifting within the same city. One family member can go ahead to receive the goods and help get the bedroom ready. Another can bring your parents over once there is somewhere for them to rest. If the room will take longer, agree on a comfortable waiting arrangement with your parents beforehand.
For an intercity move, ask when the goods will be collected, when they will actually leave and when delivery is expected. The pickup date and the departure date may be different. Our guide to choosing a shared or dedicated truck explains what to ask about that transport arrangement.
Use the delivery window when arranging your parents’ arrival. If their furniture is coming later, decide where they will stay or how the room will be furnished in the meantime. Even with a dedicated truck, allow for a change in arrival time because road conditions and building access can affect delivery.
Before booking their journey, ask your parents what travel arrangement they are comfortable with. Think about where they can stop for a meal, use a toilet or rest along the way. If a family member is travelling with them, discuss these plans with that person too.
Tell the relocation service provider what needs to be ready first
Explain which belongings your parents will need soon after arrival. The crew can then discuss how to plan the packing and unloading around those items.
When discussing home shifting services with BOXnMOVE, share both addresses, floor numbers, lift details and the work you need at delivery. Ask whether the quotation includes carrying the goods into the room, bed reassembly and unpacking. If installation work is needed, ask about that too.
If you have asked for the bed to be reassembled, for example, make sure the mover adds that work and its charge to the quotation. Then your family will know whether to expect the moving team to do it or arrange someone separately.
Set up their room before unpacking the rest
Once the belongings arrive, start with the room your parents will use. The aim for that evening is to give them somewhere to rest and make their everyday things available.
You can use this short checklist while arranging the room:
| What they will need | What to arrange first |
|---|---|
| A place to rest | Have the agreed bed assembled with bedding ready, and put their usual chair in place if they want it. |
| A usable bathroom | Make sure they can reach it and that their essential toiletries are available. |
| Light and communication | Put the phone and charger within reach, and show them how to use the room’s lights. |
| Everyday personal items | Ask where they would like to keep their own things, then unpack those items first. |
| Food and household use | Arrange suitable food and water, along with the appliances needed for that evening. |
As the rest of the house is unpacked, keep cartons and packing material out of the routes being used. Ask the crew where the remaining boxes can go so the room and bathroom remain accessible.
If appliances need reconnecting, arrange that work with a suitable technician and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. BOXnMOVE’s guide to appliance setup explains the work you can discuss when booking. Confirm which services are available for your move and what they will cost.
Give them time to get used to the new place
Once the first day is over, ask your parents what they would like moved around. A chair may need to go nearer the window, or the cupboard they use most may be easier to reach somewhere else. Let them decide how they want to use their space.
Try to keep the parts of their day they enjoy. If they usually read the newspaper after breakfast or call a friend in the evening, help them continue with that. They may want to meet neighbours, visit somewhere nearby or spend a few quiet days at home first.
If your parents have regular appointments, check that the next one is arranged and that they know how they will get there. If someone else is helping them at the new address, give that person the contact details they may need.
After a few days, ask whether the arrangements are working for them and what they would like changed. Keep making those small changes as they get to know the place.
If a parent has dementia
Plan the move with their care team and the people who support them. Discuss what will help them use the new rooms and find the things they need. The NHS guide to a dementia-friendly home explains options such as clear room signs and suitable lighting, which you can discuss for your parent’s needs.
11-Step Checklist for Moving Elderly Parents
- Discuss the move with your parents. Talk about when you plan to shift, which room they would prefer and how much of the packing they want to handle themselves.
- Go through their belongings together. Start with one cupboard or part of a room, and let them decide what they want to take. Give them time to make these choices before the packers arrive.
- Check the new home in advance. Walk through the entrance, bedroom and bathroom. Check the lighting and, if your parent uses a walker or wheelchair, whether there is enough space to move around. Arrange any support fittings they need.
- Confirm the building arrangements. Ask about lift timings, parking and moving permissions. Also find out where the nearby pharmacy is and how your parents will reach the healthcare services they use.
- Keep a travel bag with your parents. Pack their medicines, current medicine instructions, prescriptions, glasses or hearing aids, phone charger, documents and a change of clothes. Keep the bag somewhere they can reach easily.
- Talk about health needs before travelling. See if there is a health problem that may affect the trip, make sure to check with their doctor before confirming the travel plan. Ask the pharmacist about carrying medicines that require special storage.
- Agree who will handle what on moving day. Decide who will speak to the movers and who will accompany your parents if they need or want someone with them.
- Tell the movers which things are needed first. Explain that the bed, chair or other essentials need to be available early. Ask the crew on safety measures in loading and unloading of the goods.
- Clean their bathroom and room first. Make the bed, unpack their everyday things and ask where they want familiar items placed. Make sure the bathroom is ready for them to use.
- Keep the walkways clear and arrange the first meal. Put empty boxes and packing material away from the routes they use. Have suitable food and water ready for their first evening.
- Ask how they are managing after the move. Help them continue the routines they enjoy, keep track of any appointments they need and ask whether they would like anything moved around.
FAQs about moving elderly parents
1. How early should we start planning a move with elderly parents?
The best time to start planning is once you and your parents have agreed on the move. Begin with the belongings they want to take and the work needed in the new house. Leave time to finish those arrangements before their journey.
2. What should elderly parents keep with them on moving day?
Your parents should keep their medicines, prescriptions, personal documents and everyday essentials with them. Add the things they actually use, such as glasses, a hearing aid or a phone charger. Pack them in the bag, so they know where to get them.
3. Should my parents stay at home while the movers are packing?
Ask your parents what they would prefer. If they want to stay, arrange a place to sit and keep the area they use clear while the crew works. If they would rather wait with a relative nearby, someone else can look after the packing.
4. What needs to be done in the new house before my parents arrive?
The first things to get ready are their bed, bathroom and everyday essentials tbh. Put the phone, charger and other usual items in places they can reach, and arrange suitable food for their first evening.
5. Can I arrange my parents move if I live in another city?
Yes, you can arrange your parents’ move from another city. Speak to them and the mover first, and agree who will be present at pickup and delivery. If your parents want help locally, ask a trusted relative or another person they are comfortable with to be there.
