A Senior
Move Manager is a specialist assisting older adults with the physical and
emotional aspects of downsizing and/or "aging in place."
Senior move management is a newly emerging service that wasn't needed
even twenty years ago, but is increasingly useful now. The U.S. population aged 65 and over
will jump nearly 80 percent as the Baby Boom generation retires from 2010 to
2030. By the end of that period, the elderly will account for one-fifth of the
total U.S.
population.
Today, many
families are geographically dispersed and adult children are often not able to
help with the moving process due to distance, career and family obligations.
For family members living far away, the barriers may be geographic; for others
they may be emotional. Many seniors have no surviving children, or
increasingly, their children are older adults themselves.
If illness
or death precipitates the move, the family is likely already drained both
emotionally and physically. They need help. Senior move management has emerged
to fill these gaps and to facilitate the transition for everyone involved. Many
older adults making a transition have not moved in 30, 40 or 50 years and need
to downsize considerably. The organizational and physical tasks associated with
planning and implementing such a complex move can be overwhelming for the
entire family. It can be very helpful to seek the help of an experienced,
insured professional.
Senior move
managers help older adults and their families with various facets of moving or
staying put. Develop an overall plan. Organize, sort and arrange for the
disposal of unwanted items through auction, estate sale, buy-out, consignment,
donation, or a combination of the above. Interview, schedule and oversee movers.
Arrange shipments and storage. Supervise professional packers. Unpack and set
up the new home. They can also help arrange for related services, such as cleaning,
shopping, waste removal, senior escort, selecting a realtor, and helping
prepare the home to be sold.
Some senior
move managers provide these services directly; others function in more of a
coordination or management role. Senior move managers have extensive practical
knowledge about the costs, quality, and availability of various local community
resources.
Additionally,
senior move managers frequently assist individuals who choose to stay in their
own homes, but simply require expert organizational skills and solid knowledge
of "aging in place" concepts to help them achieve their goal of not
moving at all, but improving their quality of life. One call to a senior move
manager can connect you with services older adults and families need for a seamless,
successful transition, whatever change is needed.
There are many real benefits to using senior
move management services. Senior move managers have significant
expertise in resources and approaches that save money, reduce stress and
produce quality results. Their services are client-centered and personalized to
meet the client's needs and preferences. Families, particularly, should never
doubt the power of an outside expert to reduce the stress of difficult
decisions by the intercession of an expert outside party.
Many senior move managers are
members of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASSM), which
provides additional benefits to the client. NASMM members are reviewed for
insurance and experience requirements prior to acceptance. Ongoing educational
programs reflect the NASMM commitment to professionalism and to working with
older adults. NASMM has developed a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
for all members. A member who achieves all of these criteria and completes the
required course of training are awarded the designation of Certified Senior
Move Manager.
Another important consumer benefit to dealing with NASSM members
is that NASMM members always outline the cost of a job through a written
estimate before the client is required to any submit payment. Most senior move
managers offer a menu of services from which the client can choose. The
ultimate goal of this industry is to ease the stress of the move process for
older adults and family members, not add to their concerns.
Senior move managers provide a
multi-faceted approach to the move process: from space planning in the
beginning to post-move support and advocacy. And they minimize the chaos and
stress associated with moving by addressing all aspects of the move process.
They are responsible for creating and executing a seamless action plan,
customized to the client's wishes.
AYS has our own Certified Senior Move
Manager to assist with these difficult processes. If you want to learn more
about how AYS can assist with senior
move management, please visit our website at http://www.ays4u.com/services/senior/
[Information
for this article was obtained from the National Association of Senior Move
Managers at http://www.nasmm.org/]
