When you’re working with a senior loved one on a move into an assisted living home, consider the following tips for making that move a little easier.

First, you may want to take pictures of the home they are moving from, before you start rearranging things. This will give your senior a way to remember their home as it was. This can also help you recreate the feeling of the former home in the new home, which can be very helpful with the adjustment process.

When preparing for the move, keep the layout of the new home in mind, you may even want to have pictures of the new space, too. Knowing how much space and how many rooms are in the new home will help you decide what to take, and what will not be moved.

If at all possible, allow enough time to plan the move, so that your loved one doesn’t feel rushed. Remember that sorting through all the years of accumulation can be emotional work, as well as physical. The change can be absorbed a little more easily with lots of time.

Start with small tasks or with a small area, or a short amount of time. Moving can be a very overwhelming process, and your loved one(s) will need to time to get used to the idea of moving. Start in a room that has less sentimental attachment. This could be a bathroom, or any room that doesn’t contain a lot of emotionally laden items or memories.

One final thing to consider is to hire a professional moving company if that would make this process easier for your loved one. Sometimes it is easier for your family member to work with an outside person than with their children. There are moving companies that specialize in moving senior citizens, making it easier on all involved.