Senior Move Management is the profession that assists older adults and their families with the emotional and physical aspects of relocation and/or "aging in place." Senior Move Management professionals and Senior Move Managers have backgrounds in gerontology, social work, health care, nursing and psychology, others come to this industry from the corporate world of project management, technology, accounting or marketing.

Senior Move Managers require a profound commitment to connecting with older adults and a desire to perform meaningful work. Although specific services vary, most Senior Move Managers can help with some or all of the following:

• Developing an overall move or "age in place" plan

• Organizing, sorting and downsizing

• Customized floor plans

• Arranging for the profitable disposal of unwanted items through auction, estate sale, buy-out, consignment, donation, or a combination of the above

• Interviewing, scheduling and overseeing movers

• Arranging shipments and storage

• Supervise and oversight of professional packing

• Unpacking and setting up the new home

• Related services, such as cleaning, waste removal, shopping, senior escort, assisting with selection of a realtor and helping prepare the home to be sold.

Some Senior Move Managers provide these services directly; others function in more of an oversight or management role. Senior Move Managers have extensive, practical knowledge about the costs, quality and availability of various local community resources.

Additionally, Senior Move Managers frequently assist individuals who choose to stay in their own homes, but simply require expert organizational skills and solid knowledge of "aging in place" concepts to help them achieve their goal of ... not moving anywhere, but improving quality of life!

One call to a Senior Move Manager can connect you with services older adults and families need for a seamless, successful transition of all kinds.

Senior Move Managers are contacted by various sources:

• Older adults

• Family members

• Bank and trust officers

• Geriatric Care Managers

• Attorneys

• Social service providers/social workers

• Senior living communities

• Physicians and allied health providers

• Realtors

• Staging professionals

• Senior Move Managers have significant expertise in resources and approaches that save money, reduce stress and produce quality results.

• Services are client-centered and personalized to meet the client's needs and preferences. Families, particularly, should never doubt the power of an outside expert!

• NASMM members are reviewed for insurance and are required to take our Cornerstone Courses which focus on core competencies in Senior Move Management including Ethics & Accountability, Safety, Understanding the Moving Industry & Understanding Contracts & Liability.

• Ongoing educational programs reflect the NASMM commitment to professionalism and to working with older adults.

• NASMM has developed a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice for all members.

• The numbers tell the story. The U.S. population aged 65 and over will jump nearly 80 percent when the Baby Boom generation retires (from 2010 to 2030). By 2030, the elderly will account for one-fifth of the total U.S. population. Did you also know that Americans age 85 and above comprise the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population?

• Today, many families are geographically dispersed and adult children are often not able to help with the moving process due to distance, career and family obligations. For family members living far away, the barriers may be geographic.

• Many seniors have no surviving children, or increasingly, their children are older adults themselves. If illness or death precipitates the move, the family is likely already drained both emotionally and physically. They need help. Senior Move Managers emerged to fill these gaps and to facilitate the transition for everyone involved.

• Older adults making a transition have usually not moved in 30, 40 or 50 years and need to downsize considerably. The organizational and physical tasks associated with planning and implementing such a complex move can be overwhelming for the entire family. Seek the help of experienced, insured professionals and call a Senior Move Manager.

• It's virtually impossible to calculate what a specific move might cost, as the fee can vary considerably by geographic region and the services requested.

• Additionally, some Senior Move Manager charge their fees on an hourly basis, while others prefer to package the cost of the entire job at one price.

• NASMM members will always outline the cost of a job through a written estimate before you are required to submit payment.

Yes, most Senior Move Managers offer a menu of services from which you can choose and you pay accordingly. The ultimate goal of this industry is to ease the stress of the move process for older adults and family members, not add to your concerns.

• Senior Move Managers provide a multi-faceted approach to the move process: from space planning in the beginning to post-move support and advocacy.

• Senior Move Managers minimize the chaos and stress associated with moving by addressing all aspects of the move process. They are responsible to for creating and executing a seamless action plan, customized to the client's wishes.

• Actually, some but not all Senior Move Managers are also movers. Those providers that are not movers will work closely with a reputable local moving company to complete that aspect of the job.

• With the gentle and expert guidance of an experienced Senior Move Manager, older adults and families make the key decisions without the emotional and physical distress that can follow. As a result, they avoid the costly mistakes and remorse that often accompany such major lifestyle transitions.

• Senior Move Managers do so much more than simply sort, settle and move boxes; with loads of energy, enthusiasm and experience, Senior Move Managers take the worry (and work!) out of the move process. The client's job is to simply enjoy his or her new living arrangement.

• How long have you been providing Senior Move Management services?

• Do you hold NASMM's A+ Accreditation or NASMM's SMM~C Certification?

• Have you participated in any formal training programs?

• Are you fully insured for liability and workers' compensation?

• How do you charge? (Fees should be provided in writing to the consumer or responsible party prior to providing services).

• Will you provide a written contract?

• Can you provide references?

• Are you a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM)?