Helping parents to downsize for a move into an assisted-living community can be difficult. The parents may have lived in the same place for many years and the home may be filled with rooms full of memorabilia, old clothes, and boxes and random items. Here are some tips for helping your parents downsize.

Accentuate the Positive

Try to frame the move as something positive. An assisted-living community—like ours in Kamloops—will offer them much more social engagement on a daily basis. There will be a calendar full of interesting activities to keep them occupied and engaged. There will be staff available 24/7 to meet their needs.

Remove Your Own Clutter

Your parents may be holding on to plenty of your own stuff, like old report cards or art projects. They may have boxes of your old clothes, toys, and books. Why make your parents responsible for these things forever? Take your own things to help with the decluttering.

Offer to Help

Your parents will likely want to go over what they are getting rid of, and they have every right to see what is going out the door. Let them feel in charge and make decisions on who gets what or what charity to donate to. Help but don’t take over making them feel powerless.

Deconstructing your parents’ world in preparation for moving will be a difficult and emotional roller coaster. Don’t minimize how hard it will be for the parents. Be kind with them, and most of all, be helpful.