Moving a Lifetime

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Retirement communities and geriatric-care managers may know of packing services that specialize in dealing with the elderly, says Novack, who is also a founder of the newly formed national association of senior move managers. The association's website nasmm.com has links to companies around the country, and Novack hopes the organization will have a voluntary certification program in the next few years. She advises families to inquire about professional credentials, liability and workers' compensation insurance, references, written contracts and fee structures.

Some relocation help is available to people who move to one of the 5,700 member facilities of the American association of homes and services for the aging (AAHSA), a Washington-based group representing nonprofit nursing homes and assisted-living and continuing-care retirement communities. "We wanted to provide an affordable service to seniors to make the transition as painless as possible," says Scot Scurlock, an AAHSA vice president. A coordinator provides phone support and tracks details during a transition but is not on site for packing and unpacking.

Patience and compassion may be the most important virtues in helping older adults relocate. "We aren't moving things. We're moving a lifetime," Novack says. "It's not about stuff. It's about the stories behind the stuff. We do a lot of listening."