Moving in
Moving day: how to help someone settle into a care home
The first few weeks in a new home are often the hardest. A little planning makes the move gentler for everyone.
5 minute read · Updated October 13, 2026 · All guides
Before the move
- Ask the home for its list of what to bring and its paperwork, including the care plan, doctor’s orders and medication list.
- Share who they are. Write a one page “about me”: routines, favorite foods, what calms them, what upsets them, and what they used to do for work.
- Plan the room. Measure it, and bring a familiar chair, quilt, photos and a lamp so it feels like theirs.
- Label everything with their name, including clothes, glasses, hearing aids and dentures.
What to pack
- A week or two of comfortable, easy on clothes and nonslip shoes
- Toiletries they like
- Glasses, hearing aids, dentures and chargers
- Photos, a few favorite books or music, and a calendar or clock
- A list of important phone numbers
- Leave valuables and large amounts of cash at home
On the day
- Keep it calm and simple. Midmorning is often easiest.
- Set up the room first if you can, so they arrive to something familiar.
- Stay for a meal, then say a short, warm goodbye. Long goodbyes can make it harder.
The first weeks
- Expect ups and downs. Many people take a few weeks to a few months to settle.
- Visit often but not all day. Short, regular visits help routines form.
- Talk with the caregivers about what is working and what is not. Share small details; they matter.
- Look after yourself too. Relief, guilt and grief often come together, and all of them are normal.
Still looking? We can find homes with a room open and help with the move timing.