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Home › Senior Moving › Family Guide
For Families & Caregivers · Free Resource

Helping Your Parent
Move in San Diego

A complete guide for adult children and family members coordinating a senior move. Practical steps, legal checklist, emotional guidance, and local resources.

View Guide ↓ Senior Checklist →
Start Early3-4 months out
Legal & Financial6-8 weeks out
Book Everything4-6 weeks out
Move DayCoordinate on-site
After the MoveFollow up daily

The Conversation First

Starting the Process
the Right Way

The most important thing: Involve your parent in every decision. This is their move, their life, and their home. Your job is to support, not to take over. Moving from a longtime home is one of the most emotional experiences a person can have.
Share the Senior Moving Checklist directly with your parent so you can work through it together.
Senior Checklist →
🗣
Starting the Conversation
3-4 months before the move
  • Start the conversation early — never rush this decision
  • Frame moving as a positive choice, not a necessity forced on them
  • Let them lead the conversation about what they want to keep
  • Tour multiple facilities together — make it feel like their choice
  • Be patient — this may take several conversations over weeks
  • If dementia is a factor, coordinate with their doctor on timingImportant
🏠
Choosing the Right Home
Research before deciding
  • Determine the right level of care — independent, assisted, or memory care
  • Tour at least 3 communities and compare carefully
  • Ask about staffing ratios, activities, and meal quality
  • Review the residency agreement with an elder law attorney
  • Confirm what furniture will fit — get room dimensions
  • Ask the move-in coordinator about their move-in process and requirements

6 to 8 Weeks Out

Legal & Financial
Checklist for Families

⚖
Legal Documents
Review before the move, not after
  • Verify or establish durable power of attorneyCritical
  • Verify or establish healthcare power of attorney
  • Review the will — confirm it is current and accessible
  • Review advance health directive / living will
  • Locate and secure important documents: birth certificate, Social Security card, passport, deed
  • Consider consulting an elder law attorney — Legal Aid Society of San Diego offers free help
📋
Financial Accounts
Update before statements get lost
  • Update address on all bank and credit union accounts
  • Review and update beneficiary designations on all accounts
  • Update investment and retirement accounts
  • Notify mortgage servicer or property manager of address change
  • Contact reverse mortgage servicer if applicable
  • Forward mail at USPS 2 weeks before move
📸
Government Benefits
Allow 4-6 weeks for processing
  • Update Social Security address — ssa.gov or 1-800-772-1213Do early
  • Update Medicare — confirm plan covers new address area
  • Transfer IHSS (In-Home Supportive Services) if applicable
  • Update VA benefits if parent is a veteran
  • Update Medi-Cal if applicable — 1-800-541-5555
  • Update CalFresh if applicable
🏥
Healthcare Coordination
Critical continuity of care
  • Request medical records from all current doctors
  • Transfer all prescriptions to pharmacy near new address
  • Confirm new facility can accommodate existing medical equipment
  • Find new primary care doctor who accepts their insurance
  • Contact HICAP for free Medicare plan review — 1-800-434-0222
  • Update MyChart (Scripps, Sharp, UCSD) address in patient portal

4 to 6 Weeks Out

Coordinating the Move

🚚
Booking the Movers
Book early — senior moves take longer
  • Book senior-experienced movers — not all movers understand senior movesBook early
  • Request a full packing service so your parent does not have to lift anything
  • Schedule the move date around your parent’s best time of day
  • Confirm the movers carry a Certificate of Insurance (COI) if required by the facility
  • Discuss furniture placement in advance — bring the floor plan
  • Plan for the move to take longer than expected — seniors need breaks
🏛
Facility Coordination
Contact move-in coordinator immediately
  • Get the move-in coordinator’s direct contact informationDo first
  • Confirm available move-in dates and time windows
  • Ask about elevator reservations — most facilities require them
  • Ask about parking for the moving truck
  • Confirm COI requirements — most San Diego senior communities require one
  • Ask what items are not permitted in the room
📚
Decluttering Support
The hardest and most important task
  • Do not make decluttering decisions without your parent present
  • Allow plenty of time — do not rush through belongings
  • Designate a “take to new home” pile and a “decide later” pile
  • Contact an estate sale company for high-value items
  • Donate through local organizations — Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul
  • Ask us to coordinate the move end to end — we work directly with the community on move-in windows, elevator access, and room setup
⚡
Utilities & Services
Set up at new address before move day
  • Transfer SDG&E electric and gas service
  • Cancel or transfer internet and cable — Cox, Spectrum, AT&T
  • Update Meals on Wheels delivery address if applicable
  • Update any medical alert service (Life Alert, etc.) address
  • Cancel lawn, pool, or home cleaning services at old address
  • Update home security system or cancel service

Move Day & After

Move Day for Families

🕒
Move Day Coordination
  • Have at least one family member present the entire day
  • Arrive at the facility early to confirm elevator reservation and parking
  • Keep all medications with the senior — never on the truck
  • Have familiar items (photos, blanket, favorite chair) set up first
  • Have food and beverages ready at the new place
  • Let the movers do all the lifting — your job is to direct and support your parent
❤
The Emotional Side
Often overlooked, always important
  • Acknowledge the grief of leaving a longtime home — it is realDo not skip this
  • Allow time to say goodbye to neighbors before moving day
  • Bring meaningful, familiar items to the new space on day one
  • Do not redecorate the new space — let your parent make those decisions
  • Plan to visit frequently the first few weeks
  • Take care of yourself too — caregiver burnout is real
📆
First Week After Move
  • Check in daily — by phone or in person
  • Confirm all prescriptions transferred and available
  • Introduce your parent to staff and neighbors if possible
  • Confirm mail is forwarding correctly
  • Set up medical alert device at new location
  • Reach out to Alzheimer’s San Diego if memory care transition is difficult
📱
Caregiver Self-Care
You matter too
  • Contact the Family Caregiver Alliance — caregiver.org
  • San Diego County Caregiver Support Line — 1-800-339-4661
  • Look into respite care services through the county
  • Join a caregiver support group — ask at 211 San Diego
  • Remember: you cannot pour from an empty cup

San Diego Resources for Families

Support for Families
Supporting Seniors

📞
211 San Diego
The first call for any family navigating a senior move. Connects you to housing, caregiver support, financial assistance, transportation, and more. Available 24/7.
Call or text 211 · 211sandiego.org
👴
Aging & Independence Services — Caregiver Support
San Diego County offers caregiver support programs, respite care, and case management specifically for families supporting a senior. Free assessments available.
1-800-339-4661 · sandiegocounty.gov
🫮
Alzheimer’s San Diego
If your parent has Alzheimer’s or dementia, this organization provides family education, support groups, care consultations, and crisis intervention. A lifeline for San Diego families.
858-492-4400 · alzsd.org
⚖
Legal Aid Society of San Diego
Free legal help for low-income seniors and their families. Covers power of attorney, guardianship, benefits, housing, and elder abuse. No income too low to qualify.
877-534-2524 · lassd.org
👥
Family Caregiver Alliance
National organization with excellent resources specifically for families helping an aging parent. Fact sheets, webinars, and a caregiver helpline staffed by specialists.
800-445-8106 · caregiver.org
View Full San Diego Senior Resources →

Common Questions

Family Guide FAQ

Does the facility require a Certificate of Insurance from the movers?+
Most San Diego senior living communities require the moving company to carry a Certificate of Insurance (COI) naming the facility as additionally insured before move day. Discount Movers provides COIs at no additional charge. Call us at (858) 490-0155 and we will coordinate directly with your facility’s management team.
How do I know what level of care my parent needs?+
Contact San Diego County Aging and Independence Services at 1-800-339-4661. They offer free assessments that evaluate your parent’s needs and can help you understand the difference between independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Their case managers are an invaluable free resource.
What if my parent refuses to move?+
This is one of the most common and most difficult situations families face. Start with conversation rather than pressure. Contact Alzheimer’s San Diego (alzsd.org) or call 211 San Diego for guidance from a social worker if your parent has cognitive decline. Legal Aid Society of San Diego can advise on guardianship options if safety is a serious concern.
Can Discount Movers help coordinate between two homes if I live out of state?+
Yes. We frequently work with families who are coordinating a parent’s move remotely. We communicate directly with the facility move-in coordinator, keep you updated throughout the move, and handle everything on move day. Call us at (858) 490-0155 to discuss your specific situation.

We Work With Families Every Day

28+ years helping San Diego families navigate senior moves. Patient, experienced, and fully coordinated with senior living communities.

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