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Moving to a retirement home is much more than a change of address. Leaving familiar surroundings, treasured memories and established routines can make it a significant emotional transition.
After about 25 years in the senior living sector, I keep returning to the same idea: preserve as many familiar points of reference as possible. A recognizable bedroom, a few meaningful belongings and a well-prepared first morning can help the person you are supporting feel at home sooner.
These eight practical tips can help you prepare for their arrival, preserve familiar points of reference and make the first few days in the residence easier.
Table of contents
- Respect your loved one’s choices
- Create a familiar bedroom
- Preserve everyday routines
- Visit the retirement home before moving day
- Plan a calm moving day
- Prepare for the first night
- Think about the first morning
- Give them time to adjust
- Keep the essentials that make a home
- Frequently asked questions
- About Véronique Maillot
- References
1. Respect your loved one’s choices
Before packing boxes, ask the person you are supporting what matters most to them: their reading chair, a photograph beside the bed, a favourite blanket or the usual place where they keep their glasses.
With their permission, photograph the bedroom, bedside table and favourite place to relax. These images can help you recreate familiar points of reference in the new suite.
Discuss which belongings they want to keep and which changes they would welcome. A successful transition preserves the belongings and routines with emotional or practical value while allowing the new space to feel like its own home.
A study of 59 people living in 12 continuing care retirement communities highlights the importance of letting residents choose which belongings to keep when adapting to a smaller space. [1]
If a significant amount of downsizing is needed, use our guide to downsizing before moving.
2. Create a familiar bedroom
The bedroom should be one of the first areas you unpack. Before choosing which furniture to bring, confirm the suite’s dimensions and what the senior residence already provides.
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When space allows, keep the bed in a familiar position and place the bedside table on its usual side. Make sure essential belongings are within easy reach.
If the mattress is being replaced, keep the person’s favourite bedspread or pillows. Everything does not have to change at once.
Safety still comes first. Leave a clear route to the bathroom, provide accessible lighting and allow enough space for any mobility aids.
The advice I give families most often is simple: finish the bedroom first. Even if boxes remain elsewhere, the person you are supporting will already have a calm and recognizable place to rest.
3. Preserve everyday routines
Place everyday clothing, dishes and the remote control in accessible locations. Choose these places together and avoid changing them without a conversation.
The goal is to limit how many actions need to be relearned at once. The route to the bathroom may change, but finding their glasses or making coffee can remain familiar.
In my experience, the most valuable belongings are not always the most comforting. A mug used every morning may matter more than an expensive piece of furniture.
4. Visit the retirement home before moving day
Before the move, arrange a visit to the retirement residence. Share a meal, meet some of the residents or try an activity together.
Plan to meet a staff member who will regularly be on site. Walk to the dining room together and identify the common areas.
These visits can turn an entirely new environment into a place where a few faces and landmarks are already familiar.
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Canadian researcher Dupuis-Blanchard and her colleagues interviewed 19 older adults who had moved into housing designed for seniors. Participants reported that relationships offered security, companionship and friendship. The study focuses on connections formed after the move; visiting beforehand remains a practical way to make those first interactions easier. [2]
5. Plan a calm moving day
Discuss how the day will unfold. Some people want to be present for the move or say goodbye to their home. Others prefer to arrive after the main furniture has been set up. Respect that choice.
When possible, divide the responsibilities. One person can stay with the person who is moving while another coordinates the moving crew and furniture placement.
Confirm suite access, elevator availability, meals and the residence schedule in advance. Leave extra time for possible delays.
If coordinating everything becomes difficult, a specialized senior moving service can manage part of the logistics. My free service with MovingWaldo helps families compare quotes and coordinate the move so they can spend more time supporting the person they care about.
You can also use our senior moving checklist for a retirement residence.
6. Prepare for the first night
Before the person arrives, try to have the bed made, the bathroom ready to use, a chair in place and all walkways clear.
Keep an essentials bag out of the moving truck with:
- Toiletries
- Clothing and sleepwear
- Glasses and hearing aids
- A phone and charger
- Necessary medication
- Important documents
Follow the residence’s, pharmacist’s or care team’s instructions for transporting and handing over medication.
Walk through the suite together. Explain how the lighting and emergency call system work, if there is one, and keep useful phone numbers in a visible place.
Before leaving, make sure personal belongings and the bedside lamp are easy to reach. Check the route to the bathroom and explain whom to contact during the night.
7. Think about the first morning
A simple and predictable routine can make the first morning more reassuring.
If breakfast will be eaten in the suite, prepare a few familiar foods: favourite cereal, bread, fruit or yogurt, along with their usual tea or coffee. Respect dietary needs and confirm that small appliances are permitted by the residence.
Unpack the dishes and breakfast essentials before the first night. The first morning should not begin with a search for a spoon in the moving boxes.
If breakfast is served in the dining room, confirm the time and arrange for someone to accompany them if needed.
A call or visit can also offer a reassuring way to begin the day.
8. Give them time to adjust
A well-arranged suite does not mean the emotional transition is complete. Someone can appreciate the new residence while still missing their former home.
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Make room for those emotions without insisting that the person feel comfortable right away. Preserve the routines that can stay the same, such as favourite music, a television program or a regular family call.
After a few days, ask whether the furniture is in the right place and whether any belongings should be moved. A new suite often becomes home gradually.
For a person living with dementia, the Alzheimer’s Society recommends keeping familiar objects and, when possible, a layout similar to the previous home. The Alzheimer Society of Canada also encourages bringing personal belongings and sharing the person’s preferences with staff. [3, 4]
If disorientation or distress persists, contact residence staff or a member of the person’s healthcare team.
Keep the essentials that make a home
We cannot reproduce every detail of a former home. We can, however, preserve the choices, routines and belongings that matter.
Respecting the person’s preferences and being present during this transition can make it easier to adjust to the new living environment.
Are you helping someone you care about move to a retirement residence? My free relocation service with MovingWaldo can help you compare quotes and coordinate the move so you can focus on their well-being.
Learn about Véronique’s senior moving support.
Frequently asked questions
How can you reduce the stress of moving to a retirement home?
Include the person who is moving in decisions, visit the residence in advance and preserve familiar routines. Set up the bedroom first and explain how moving day will unfold.
What should be ready for the first night?
Keep medication, toiletries, sleepwear, glasses, hearing aids, a phone and charger out of the moving truck. Make the bed and ensure the route to the bathroom is clear.
How long does it take to adjust to a retirement home?
There is no universal timeline. Some people settle in quickly, while others need more time. Keep listening and contact residence staff if difficulties persist.
About Véronique Maillot
Véronique Maillot is a Certified Relocation Specialist and MovingWaldo partner with about 25 years of experience in the senior living sector.
References
- Green, O. and Ayalon, L. (2019). “Home Is Where My Couch Is”: The Role of Possessions in the Process of Moving and Adjusting to Continuing Care Retirement Communities. Qualitative Health Research, 29(4), 577–588.
- Dupuis-Blanchard, S., Neufeld, A. and Strang, V. R. (2009). The Significance of Social Engagement in Relocated Older Adults. Qualitative Health Research, 19(9), 1186–1195.
- Alzheimer’s Society. Why a person with dementia might be walking about.
- Alzheimer Society of Canada. Moving in to long-term care.
