3 Ways to Ensure a Smooth Move to Senior Living for Seniors with Pets
Guest article by James Hall, Senior Care Fitness
Moving to senior living can be a big transition for many older adults. But if you’re a senior pet owner, managing this move can feel even more complicated. In addition to finding a good fit for both you and your pet, you also need to make sure your pet is comfortable every step of the way. So, if you’re not sure where to start when managing this big journey for both you and your furry family member, these pet-friendly moving tips may come in handy.
Make Sure Your Pet Is Ready for Your Big Move
Before you settle on a pet-friendly senior community, you will need to take a few steps to ensure your pet is prepared for such a big transition. Animals can be more sensitive to moves and other major changes than people, but you can ease pet anxiety by creating a plan that will help your furry family member settle in with less stress.
Start by scheduling an appointment with your vet so you can get information about any new vaccinations or medications your pet may need to stay safe and healthy in your senior living community. Picking up a flea preventative, for example, can keep these pests out of your new home and protect your pet from other harmful health conditions and parasites. Your vet can recommend a product that is right for your pet, but you should also do your own research so that you know the one you use is safe and effective. Other steps that will help you and your pet stay stress-free include unpacking their belongings first when you get to your new home and ensuring you have the help you need to care for them.
Schedule Tours of Your Top Senior Living Choices
Still looking for a new home? You should then look for online senior living guides that can make narrowing down your options less stressful. These guides can help you determine which care features, including prepared meals, security, and planned social activities, matter most to you, but will also give you a better idea of how to determine if the personality and feeling of specific communities is a good fit for your lifestyle and values. Be sure to consider costs as well and figure out how you’ll pay for senior living. Options include using your savings, long – term care insurance, or income from a home sale.
Since your focus is on bringing your pet with you, you should look for a community that welcomes pets with open arms and even provides additional services that will help you care for your pet. Touring senior living communities is the best way to ensure that you find the right fit for you and your pet, but you may need to hire a sitter to care for your pet if those tours mean traveling out of town. Having a local pet sitter can also be helpful if you plan on traveling while living in senior living.
Plan Out Your Move Into a Senior Living Community
Once you have found the right senior living community and have figured out how to pay for any fees or expenses, you can start mapping out your big move. Moving checklists will make it easy to avoid missing any important tasks during your move, such as changing your address or refilling prescriptions, but you will also need to add a few extra steps for your pet.
You already have a guide that will help you make the move less stressful for your pet, but it’s also important to keep a few special considerations in mind. For example, if you plan on moving to a pet-friendly senior living community in a different state, then traveling with your pet can require some additional planning. You will need to research pet -friendly hotel rooms along the way, or you may need to figure out a safe and comfortable plan for flying with your pets.
The transition into senior living can help ease some stress but managing a move, especially with pets, can also be challenging. Hopefully these tips for finding pet-friendly senior living and keeping your pet safe and cared for and during this transition can save yourself some hassle and focus on settling into your new home.
Looking for senior living with pet-friendly options in the Milwaukee area? We are proud to offer a full spectrum of living options and compassionate, high-quality care. Call (262) 789-1699 to schedule a tour.
Photo Credit: Rawpixel
