by Joy Loverde
The good news… sold my Aunt’s house in one day. The bad news… there is no downtime and the pressure is on. I kick into action and create a checklist of everything I have to do to relocate my Aunt.
Also on my mind are the many tasks I can delegate. Listen up family caregivers. Do NOT take on the world when there’s an eldercare crisis of sorts at hand. Ask for help from everyone you know. You’d be surprised at the number of people who will pitch in.
- Here’s my starter list of things to do:
- Find a new place for Aunt to live
- Hire a senior move manager (www.nasmm.org)
- Find reputable movers
- Get move date confirmation from movers
- Arrange family member to meet the movers on the other end
- Obtain floor plan of new location
- Measure furniture and create furniture-placement plan
- Decide what to keep and what to donate
Side Note: My Aunt left thousands of dollars on the table because she had to move in a rush and there was no time for a garage sale. Everything she no longer wanted had to be given away instead of sold. Dollars out the window!
In the meantime, my Aunt is beside herself psychologically and otherwise. All of a sudden her life is completely turned upside down. The move is real. She waited and she lost -- bigtime. She lost control of her decision-making powers. She was out of choices. Every decision was now in the hands of family. Her emotions are haywire and everything is happening “way too fast.” It’s time for her to pack her bags. It’s time to go.
My husband and I volunteer to drive her to her new home in Michigan to live near her son and family. We are hoping this brings her some emotional comfort right now. It turns out it does.
