There comes a time for many older Americans to make the difficult decision about remaining in their home, which is filled with years of fond memories but may no longer be the safest or even the most practical living solution for living out our final years.

Some of the more practical living options may be downsizing to a condominium community, moving to an independent retirement community or if we need some assistance with activities of daily living, a move to an assisted living facility may make sense.

The decision to make such a move is rarely an easy one, even though moving may actually make life much easier and take a lot of stress from our life.. There are emotional and financial decisions to consider not too mention the ninevitable question "What do we do with all of the extra furniture, photos and other personal items
that are left over once the decision to downsize our living quarters has been made.

When faced with the many decisions involved with downsizing, it's wise to consider the services of a professional"move manager".

A relatively new sub speciality in the growing field of elder services, move managers offers a range of services to help you prepare for the move by helping you sort through your possessions and help you decide what to take with you and what to gift to family and friends. Move managers also coordinate appraisals of valuable items to help you decide what to donate to charity and what to sell in the most appropriate way.

These professionals understand that making these decisions can be difficult; move managers can create the organization and structure to make it easier for you and your family at the time of transition. A good move management professional is quite different than what we think of as a traditional moving company. Move managers create a "project plan" that includes organizing the paperwork that needs sorting and helps you sort through years of life's accumulations.

An excellent example of a professional move management company is A Thoughtful Move, a greater Boston area company founded by Joan Roover, MSW, J.D. Joan's background enables her to assist elders and their family members navigate the complex factors involved with many transitions.

A Thoughtful Move works with clients in Greater Boston, Metro West and inside the Interstate 495 corridor. They facilitate the entire move, even preparing the house for sale by clearing out the clutter and applying the finishing touches to make it more attractive to potential
buyers.

 PREPARE for the MOVE

A Thoughtful Move's founder Joan Roover, MSW, J.D., offers the following tips for selecting a move manager when you're preparing for a major move, especially on ethat involves downsizing from a larger to a smaller residence.

The move management professional should be able toprovide you with the following services:

• Inventory and help to sort through possessions
• Help plan what furniture and other things to take to the new home
• Catalogue items and coordinate the dispersal of items to family, friends, charity, etc.
• Coordinate hazardous waste disposal
• Coordinate the appraisal and sale of items
• Prepare current home for showing and contact real estate agents
• Identify service providers and contact movers
• Pack for moving
• Arrange for the appropriate experts to pack and transport valuable antiques, unique items
• Stop and restart utilities, coordinate change of address notifications

THE DAY of the MOVE

• On-site management of the entire move from start to finish
• Unpack and remove the boxes from the new home
• Set up the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. We'll even make the bed and that first cup of tea!
• Arrange for final broom cleaning of home

OTHER SERVICES-WHEN YOU ARE READY

• Hang pictures, install shelving, hang towel racks and perform other jobs to make a more comfortable home
• Set-up computer equipment, home entertainment center
• Arrange contractor services for renovations
• Make a video tape remembrance to create lasting memories of the former home for family members
• Organize paperwork related to a death or divorce
• Anything else? We customize our services to your specific needs.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES-RESOURCES

With her background as a social worker, a health care administrator and a lawyer, A Thoughtful Move's CEO Joan Roover is uniquely able to offer services to beyond the move itself. 

 "A Thoughtful Move serves the fast growing senior market and those making major life transitions. Change can be stressful. We ease the anxiety of moving for seniors, the newly divorced and widowed; anyone making a move." says Roover

"We are a move management service assisting people in right-sizing their lives. Even when moving to a smaller home is a good choice that suits a new lifestyle, moving and managing the process is difficult, physically and emotionally. We ease the transition, managing all the details, every aspect of the move."