Helping Your Senior Loved One Move

Is your beloved senior involved in a real estate transaction? Or, do you have a parent or a grandparent who is contemplating a move? When our older loved ones go through major life changes, we all want to ensure that they are happy, healthy, safe, and secure. We want the best for those we love. And, when it comes to a major real estate transaction, it often becomes a family affair. An affair that can be emotional and challenging. One that needs professional guidance from a Senior Real Estate Specialist.

Offer Support

I love working with mature seniors. It is a wonderful experience to hear their stories and to glean from their wisdom. But, it can also be challenging working with people well into their seventies, eighties, and nineties.  Why? Because there are often multiple family members involved in the process, which means multiple opinions are involved. Perspectives may vary and those involved may desire different outcomes. So, here’s my advice: If you want to help your seniors navigate the process of moving, recognize that you are there for support and advice. Your senior trusts you, which is why you are involved in the first place. But, it’s about your senior. You play an important role, but the focus is on your loved one.

Let Them Navigate

To a large extent, you are in the passenger seat. You are not the driver. You can certainly help to navigate, but assuming your senior buyer or seller is competent, the decisions are theirs to make. This can be challenging for some family members, especially when they don’t agree with some of the decision-making. I understand, but as a real estate agent, my fiduciary is to my client — the one who is buying or selling. As a family member who is not a principal in the transaction, you become your senior’s trusted advisor. Your support is invaluable. Necessary.  But, your role is a supportive role, so give your senior lots of time and room to process decisions. Share your advice. Offer your support. But, give your senior the helm.

Empower Them to Make the Decisions

In my experience, I have found that most seniors rely heavily on the advice of their trusted loved ones. In fact, they will often defer to their counsel. But, they have a voice and they need to be heard. Just because they are older does not mean they are incapable of making decisions for themselves. Your senior will listen to you, but the whole process and transition will be made easier if they are empowered to make decisions.

Take on Challenges Together

Over the years, I have helped many seniors and their families navigate the challenges of a major move and transition successfully. Though each situation is unique, every circumstance requires careful planning,  appropriate guidelines, reasonable boundaries, and clear and consistent communication. With the help of a proven professional who understands the challenges of working with those in their twilight years, you can help your senior loved one navigate a major transition with tact, love, patience, and care. And, isn’t that what we want for those who have given us so much?