A parent moving in with you

Work through the list in order. Hide the notes when you know what to do.

1. Talk it through with everyone living in the house

   Kids, a partner — everyone will have their own questions and worries, better heard before the move than after.

2. Prepare the room in advance

   Private space with a door that closes — matters for an adult used to their own home just as much as it would for you.

3. Check the home's accessibility

   Thresholds, stairs, a slippery bathroom floor, lighting on the night route to the bathroom — things you don't notice yourself but matter a lot to a parent.

4. Consider grab bars in the bathroom and toilet

   A cheap, quick install that meaningfully cuts fall risk — these rooms are where falls happen most often.

5. Transfer medical records to a doctor near the new home

   Or find out how to access the old records remotely — sort this out before the move, not the first time a doctor's needed.

6. Bring the medication routine over to the new place

   Pill organizer, reminders — the routine slips more easily than expected in the first weeks after a move.

7. Discuss the household routine in advance

   Meal times, evening quiet, who cleans what — spelled out directly rather than assumed to sort itself out.

8. Divide care duties among family members

   If the whole load lands on one person, burnout follows fast — decide in advance who's responsible for what.

9. Plan for respite time

   Who covers for a weekend or a vacation — arranged ahead, not figured out the moment you're already running on empty.

10. Discuss the financial side of the move

    Who pays for what, how pension income and shared costs factor in — one direct conversation heads off future friction.

11. Preserve as much independence as possible

    Their own dishes, the right to cook for themselves, personal errands without asking — moving in shouldn't mean losing all autonomy at once.

12. Update the emergency plan for the new address

    Nearest emergency services, pharmacy, neighbors, who to call first — update for the new location rather than leaving old info in place.

13. Help decide what to bring and what to leave behind

    A small number of genuinely meaningful items — photos, a favorite chair — eases the adjustment more than expected.

14. Explain to the kids what's changing at home

    In simple terms, that there's a new permanent member of the household — eases kids' anxiety and avoids unnecessary friction.

15. Respect the parent's own daily routine

    Wake time, bedtime, familiar rituals — an abrupt break from a long-standing routine is hard at any age.

16. Help maintain a social circle at the new location

    Find a local interest club, help keep old friendships going by video call — isolation creeps in quietly after a move.

17. Revisit the arrangement after a few months

    What worked in the first week doesn't always work six months in — schedule a calm check-in rather than waiting for a crisis.