Downsizing or relocated from a beloved home is easier with this elder care professional.
A Senior Move Manager is a professional who specializes in assisting older adults and their families with the emotional and physical aspects of relocation and/or aging in place. Senior move managers provide a multi-faceted approach to the move process: from space planning in the beginning to post-move support and advocacy. Though many senior move managers have backgrounds in gerontology, social work, health care, nursing and psychology, others come to this industry from the corporate world of project management, technology, accounting or marketing. What all senior move managers share, however, is a profound commitment to connecting with older adults and a desire to perform meaningful work.
Although specific services vary, most Senior Move Managers can help with some or all of the following:
Some senior move managers provide these services directly; others function in more of an oversight or management role. Senior move managers have extensive, practical knowledge about the costs, quality and availability of various local community resources.
"One call to a senior move manager can connect you with services older adults and families need for a seamless, successful transition of all kinds."
Additionally, senior move managers frequently assist individuals who choose to stay in their own homes, but require expert organizational skills and solid knowledge of aging in place concepts to help them achieve their goal of . . . not moving anywhere, just improving quality of life.
Senior move managers have significant expertise in resources and approaches that save money, reduce stress and produce quality results. Senior move management 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, especially when there are arguments over how to handle a move or simply who gets a favorite painting.
One call to a senior move manager can connect you with services older adults and families need for a seamless, successful transition of all kinds. Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about this new type of service.
Senior move managers can be hired by:
The numbers tell the story. The US population aged 65 and over will jump nearly 80 percent when the Baby Boom generation retires (from 2010 to 2030). By 2030, the elderly will account for one-fifth of the total US population. Americans age 85 and above comprise the fastest growing segment of the US population. Senior move services are needed now for a variety of reasons:
It's virtually impossible to calculate what a specific move might cost, as the fee can vary considerably by geographic region and the services requested:
The ultimate goal of this industry is to ease the stress of the move process for older adults and family members, not add to your concerns.
Senior move managers 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:
Look for a senior move manager whose company is a member of The National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), the organization that represents about 500 senior move management companies throughout the United States and Canada. NASMM began when a core group of senior move managers, as they called themselves, met in October 2002, in Arlington, VA to discuss developing a professional association specifically designed for the senior move industry. These 22 founding members crafted a mission statement for the new organization and identified the various tasks required to transform their ideas into reality, including board formation, membership design and process, not-for-profit incorporation, website development, database management, member education and member benefits. Just one year later the Board and members hosted the first annual NASMM conference. Sixty-five people from 48 senior move companies assembled in suburban Philadelphia for a weekend of professional education and networking. Since then many initiatives have been implemented:
For more information on finding a senior move manager, contact NASMM at 877-606-2766 or visit www.nasmm.org.