7 Tips to Deal With Family Heirlooms When a Senior Parent Moves to Assisted Living
Moving a beloved senior to an assisted living facility can be difficult for families. Not only does it mean leaving the family home, but also having to part with cherished heirlooms. Whether it’s furniture or photographs, heirlooms are invaluable memories that often need to be dealt with during a senior’s transition. There are seven tips and tactics to help families prepare and manage family heirlooms when senior moves to an assisted living facility:
- Create an inventory
- Determine value
- Pass them on
- Donate with care
- Make room in the assisted living facility
- Store items somewhere else
- Document everything
Create an Inventory
Start by creating an inventory of all the heirloom items owned by the senior. Include photographs, furniture, jewelry, and other collectibles. This inventory will help you keep track of each item and determine what should stay in the family home, what should go with the senior and what should be given away or sold.
Determine Value
Before deciding which items to keep and/or give away, consider their monetary and sentimental value. Depending on the condition of each item, it may have some worth that could be used towards covering costs associated with assisted living.
Pass Them On
Heirlooms don’t always need to stay in the family home; they can find new homes with friends and relatives who would appreciate them just as much as you do. Pass along those meaningful items you know your loved one would like to see used by someone else in their memory.
Donate With Care
Consider donating valuable items that won’t be staying in the family home or going with your senior relative – many charities accept antiques and collectibles for auctions or raffles that can benefit organizations such as hospitals or churches. However, check which charity would best use your donation before giving anything away permanently.
Make Room in the Assisted Living Facility
It is important to talk with the staff at the assisted living facility beforehand so that they are aware of any larger pieces of furniture or other heirlooms that will be coming along with your loved one. Hence, they have enough room for them when moving day arrives. Due to space limitations, most facilities won’t allow large pieces such as beds or dressers. Still, some may make exceptions for smaller pieces, like end tables or chairs, depending on availability in their units – always check first.
Store Items Elsewhere
If larger items aren’t welcomed at the assisted living facility, it might be better to store them elsewhere, such as a storage unit if possible. Doing this means you do not have to worry about disposing of sentimental items while keeping them safe. Storing pieces separately also helps if any extra funds need to be generated from selling some items. Buyers often prefer smaller pieces that are easier for transportation purposes than bulky furniture sets.
Document Everything
Finally, document everything thoroughly while preparing your loved one’s belongings. This includes taking pictures of each item before giving something away, storing elsewhere, or transferring ownership. This ensures that everyone involved knows exactly what has been done and why. This process not only creates transparency between parties but also provides proof of ownership in case something arises later down the line, where questions may arise about certain possessions. Documents could include anything from appraisals for antiques, jewelry, and collectibles, to simple lists describing furniture sets or boxes full of photographs. Whatever is necessary, get it all down on paper so nothing gets forgotten about when sorting through all those memories together.
Moving seniors into assisted living facilities can evoke sentimental feelings when thinking about parting ways with treasured possessions from past years. However, following these seven tips will help ensure all those precious heirlooms find new homes without compromising on quality care for your elderly relative during this transition period.
Taking Property (Including Heirlooms) To Assisted Living
As we mentioned, one strategy to employ in dealing with family heirlooms for an aging parent is moving at least some of them to assisted living. We conclude this article by discussing several points associated with moving a senior’s property into an assisted living apartment or room.
- Create a Checklist: It is important to ensure all items have been accounted for by creating a detailed checklist of all possessions that will be relocated from their current residence. This should include furniture, clothing items, personal souvenirs, and other belongings that will make the transition easier for your senior parent. Be sure to include items needing special attention or professional moving services, such as large appliances or artwork.
- Secure Valuables: Consider having valuable items, such as jewelry appraised before they are moved so you know exactly what they are worth in case of theft or loss. Heirlooms and other precious items can be kept in a safety deposit box at a local bank until they can be moved safely with the rest of your parent’s belongings.
- Make Arrangements with Moving Companies: Researching moving companies is important when deciding how to move your parent’s property safely and securely. Make sure you ask questions about insurance coverage, cost estimates, and any additional services they offer, such as packing supplies or storage options, in case of a delay in moving day. Many companies specialize in carefully packing and transporting fragile antiques or family heirlooms so these pieces can arrive at their destination unscathed.
- Reduce Clutter: Before packing up all possessions, review each item and evaluate if it needs to be brought along on the move or if it should be donated or thrown away instead. Reducing clutter by donating unwanted items helps save money on storage costs and makes the transition into assisted living more manageable and less overwhelming for your parents since they won’t have as much stuff to sort through once they arrive at their new home.
- Organize Belongings: Label boxes clearly with descriptions of what is inside them, so everything is easy to find upon arrival at their new home in an assisted living facility. Pack similar items together, so nothing gets misplaced during transit, like kitchenware going with kitchenware or linens stuck with linens rather than mixed up throughout different areas of the house during unpacking day. Additionally, taking photos of furniture placement before it’s moved will help remind you where each piece goes after being transported so setup can happen quickly upon arrival at its destination.
Moving your parent’s property from one residence to another takes a good amount of planning, preparation, organization, and consideration due to the sentimental value of many possessions. Taking steps such as researching reputable movers, reducing clutter, labeling boxes clearly, and protecting valuables will help ensure everything goes smoothly while helping avoid any potential losses due to theft or damage.