Moving Between Senior Living Communities in Chicago: A Family Guide

Moving between senior living communities is different from moving out of a private home. The older adult may already live with fewer belongings, but the new residence must offer the right combination of room size, location, meals, affordability, mobility support, personal assistance, and memory care. Families also have to coordinate two communities, two sets of move-in rules, and a person who may find changes in routine difficult.

King David Moving & Storage helps older adults and families handle the physical relocation throughout Chicago, the North Shore, and nearby suburbs. We do not select a care setting or determine a resident’s clinical needs. Our job is to communicate with both locations, protect the belongings being moved, and help set up a familiar, functional room at the destination.

This guide explains the questions families can ask before choosing the new community and the practical steps that can make the transfer more organized.

Why Moving Between Senior Living Communities Happens

A family can compare communities more clearly when everyone understands what is no longer working at the current residence. The answer may involve one major concern or several smaller ones.

Common reasons include:

• The monthly cost and additional care charges are no longer affordable.
• The room is too small for necessary furniture or mobility equipment.
• The community is too far from family, doctors, familiar places, or a preferred hospital.
• The resident now needs more help with bathing, dressing, walking, transfers, or using the bathroom.
• Meal choices or dining assistance no longer meet the resident’s needs.
• The current setting cannot provide appropriate memory support.
• The resident feels isolated or has difficulty reaching activities and common areas.
• The family needs clearer communication or a more suitable care plan.

Write down the specific problems before touring another location. A new community may look attractive but still fail to solve the issues that caused the move. The goal is not simply to find a different room. It is to find a setting that fits the person’s current needs and provides a clear process for reassessment if those needs change.

Confirm the Appropriate Level of Support

Terms such as independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing describe different types of housing and support. Services can also vary between communities using the same label.

Independent Living

Independent living generally suits an older adult who can manage most daily routines but wants a smaller residence, meals, social activities, transportation, or fewer household responsibilities. Ask what help is available if the resident temporarily needs additional support.

Assisted Living

Assisted living may provide help with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, walking, toileting, and medication routines. Families should ask exactly which services are included, how assistance is requested, and how additional care affects the monthly price.

Memory Care

Memory care is designed for people living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia who may benefit from a secure setting, consistent routines, specialized activities, and staff trained in memory support. The resident’s healthcare professionals and the community’s assessment team should help determine whether this setting is appropriate.

Skilled Nursing or Rehabilitation

A skilled nursing facility provides a different level of care from ordinary assisted living. Medicare’s Care Compare tool allows families to review Medicare-certified nursing homes, staffing information, inspections, and quality measures.

Do not rely only on a brochure or a sales conversation. Ask for a written explanation of the services the resident will receive, who provides them, and what circumstances could require another transfer.

Compare the Complete Monthly Cost

“Starting at” pricing rarely explains the complete monthly expense. Ask each community to provide a written estimate based on the older adult’s assessed needs.

Questions to ask include:

• What is the base monthly charge for the selected room?
• Is there a community, entrance, assessment, or move-in fee?
• How are levels of care priced?
• Are bathing, dressing, toileting, and transfer assistance included or charged separately?
• Is medication management an additional service?
• Are all meals included?
• Does room delivery carry an extra fee?
• Are housekeeping, personal laundry, linens, and transportation included?
• Is there a charge for an escort to meals or activities?
• How often can rates increase, and how much notice is provided?
• What is the termination and refund policy?
• What happens financially if the resident is temporarily hospitalized or in rehabilitation?

The Illinois Department on Aging describes residential-support services that can include meals, assistance with daily living, emergency response, housekeeping, laundry, and medication management. Families should confirm which of these services a particular community actually provides and how eligibility or payment works. Review the state’s information about comprehensive care in residential settings as a starting point.

Measure the Room and Check Accessibility

Obtain a floor plan with accurate dimensions before deciding which belongings to move. If possible, measure the room, closets, doorways, bathroom, and furniture yourself. A floor plan can look spacious until a bed, dresser, favorite chair, walker, wheelchair, and side table are added.

Look beyond total square footage. Check:

• The width of the entrance and bathroom doors
• Turning space for a walker or wheelchair
• The path between the bed and bathroom
• Shower entry, grab bars, seating, and floor surface
• Toilet height and space for assistance
• Emergency-call buttons and their locations
• Closet height and reachable storage
• Space for mobility or breathing equipment, if used
• Distance to the dining room, elevator, activities, and staff station
• Natural light, noise level, and room temperature controls

Place the essential furniture on the floor plan before moving day. Leave open walking paths and avoid bringing extra pieces “just in case.” If furniture will not fit safely, arrange delivery to a family member or temporary storage before the transfer.

Ask Detailed Questions About Mobility and Bathroom Assistance

Saying that a community “helps with daily activities” is not specific enough. A person who walks independently may need very different support from someone who uses a walker, requires a wheelchair, or needs assistance transferring between the bed, chair, and bathroom.

Ask the assessment team:

• How is help requested during the day and overnight?
• Can staff assist with walking to meals and activities?
• Is one-person or two-person transfer assistance available?
• What bathroom and incontinence support is offered?
• How frequently are scheduled checks performed, when included in the care plan?
• Who responds to the emergency-call system?
• What happens if the resident’s mobility declines?
• Is transportation accessible for walkers and wheelchairs?

These are care questions, not moving questions. Families should discuss them directly with the community and the resident’s appropriate healthcare professionals. Once the needs are understood, the moving plan can protect clear walking space and place furniture where it supports the approved room layout.

Review Meals, Dietary Needs, and the Dining Routine

Food affects comfort, health, daily routine, and social connection. Ask to see current menus and, if possible, visit during a meal.

Important questions include:

• How many meals and snacks are included?
• Can the kitchen accommodate documented dietary needs?
• Are choices available at each meal?
• Is help available getting to and from the dining room?
• Can meals be delivered to the room, and is there a charge?
• What happens when a resident misses a meal?
• Is eating assistance available if it becomes necessary?
• Can family members join the resident for a meal?
• Are familiar cultural or religious food preferences accommodated?

Families can also ask how dining changes in memory care and how staff respond when a resident has difficulty recognizing meals, remaining seated, or following the dining routine.

Evaluate Memory-Care Support Carefully

A move can be especially disorienting for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. A calm transition begins with an honest assessment and a community that can explain its approach in specific terms.

Ask about:

• Staff training and memory-care experience
• Secure entrances, exits, courtyards, and outdoor areas
• Individual routines and preferred wake, meal, and sleep times
• How staff learn the resident’s history, interests, and communication style
• Activities for different cognitive and physical abilities
• Family updates and changes in the care plan
• How the community responds to wandering, confusion, distress, or disrupted sleep
• Which personal items are permitted in the room
• How changes in condition are assessed and communicated

Before the move, give the new team a short written profile describing the resident as a person: preferred name, family connections, former occupation, meaningful hobbies, favorite music, comforting routines, and topics that encourage conversation. This information can help staff build familiarity beyond the medical record.

The Alzheimer’s Association offers education, local resources, and a 24-hour helpline at 800-272-3900 for families seeking dementia-related support. It should not be replaced by advice from a moving company.

Consider Location as Part of the Care Plan

A lower monthly rate may not be the best value if the new location makes family visits, medical appointments, or familiar routines difficult.

When moving between senior living communities, location should be compared as carefully as the room and monthly price. Consider:

• Travel time for the relatives who visit most often
• Access to the resident’s doctors, hospital, pharmacy, and therapy providers
• Community transportation and its service area
• Distance to familiar religious, cultural, or social connections
• Parking and entrance accessibility for visitors
• Whether the neighborhood feels familiar and comfortable to the resident

King David Moving & Storage handles senior community moves throughout Chicago and suburbs such as Evanston, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Glenview, Wilmette, Northbrook, Highland Park, Park Ridge, Niles, Des Plaines, and surrounding communities. The choice of residence belongs to the older adult and family, with input from qualified care professionals.

Review the Agreement and Care Plan Before Scheduling the Move

Do not schedule movers until the new community confirms acceptance, the room, and the move-in date. Request written copies of the residency agreement, fee schedule, assessed services, move-in instructions, and community contact information.

Families may also need to coordinate:

• Identification and insurance information
• Medication records and pharmacy arrangements
• Physician forms or assessment documents required by the community
• Emergency contacts
• Advance directives or power-of-attorney documents, when applicable
• Personal-property inventory
• Payment and billing contacts

Legal, financial, and medical documents should remain with the resident or an authorized family member. Do not pack them onto the moving truck.

Decide What Should Move to the New Room

The best inventory starts with daily function and familiarity—not with filling every available corner.

Prioritize:

• The bed and bedding approved for the room
• A supportive favorite chair, if it fits safely
• Frequently worn clothing
• Necessary mobility equipment
• A lamp with simple controls
• Family photographs and familiar artwork
• A clock, calendar, television, or radio the resident uses regularly
• Toiletries and personal-care supplies
• A few meaningful keepsakes

Measure every large item. Mark its intended position on the floor plan. Label boxes by the exact destination—such as “bathroom cabinet,” “top dresser drawer,” or “family photographs”—instead of using only “bedroom.” Our guide to labeling moving boxes provides a practical system.

Items going to family members, donation, or storage should be separated before moving day. If the family needs help packing selected belongings, review our professional packing services.

Coordinate Both Senior Living Communities

Moving between senior living communities depends on clear communication between the current residence, the new community, the family, and the moving company.

Confirm the following at both locations:

• Approved move-out and move-in times
• Elevator and loading-area reservations
• Certificate-of-insurance requirements
• Parking or loading restrictions
• Entrance the movers must use
• Furniture restrictions
• Staff contact available on moving day
• Key, access-card, or sign-in procedures
• Items supplied by the new residence
• Items that cannot be brought into the room

Provide King David Moving & Storage with both addresses, room numbers, community contacts, access instructions, and a copy of the furniture plan before the move. Our local movers can then plan the correct crew, equipment, and timing for the transfer.

Protect the Resident’s Moving-Day Routine

When possible, avoid asking the older adult to wait for hours in a hallway or direct every furniture decision. One family coordinator should communicate with the crew while another supports the resident.

Keep these items with the resident or authorized family member:

• Medications and a current medication list
• Identification and insurance cards
• Legal and financial documents
• Glasses, hearing devices, dentures, and mobility aids
• Phone and charger
• A change of clothing
• Personal-care supplies
• Snacks or drinks appropriate for the resident
• New-community contact information

At the destination, set up the bed, bathroom, favorite chair, lighting, photographs, clock, and frequently used clothing first. The room should feel recognizable before the resident is asked to settle in.

For someone with memory loss, ask the new community and appropriate care professionals whether a quieter arrival time, smaller group, or particular family routine would be helpful. There is no single plan that works for every person.

Pay Attention During the First Week

The move is not finished when the boxes are empty. Families should confirm that clothing, mobility equipment, call buttons, bathroom supplies, and favorite belongings are accessible.

During the first several days:

• Visit or call according to the resident’s needs and the community’s transition plan.
• Make sure staff know the resident’s preferred name and important routines.
• Check that frequently used drawers and cabinets are labeled clearly, if helpful.
• Confirm that the resident understands how to request assistance.
• Ask how meals, sleep, activities, and mobility are going.
• Report concerns through the community’s proper contact process.

If concerns involve resident rights or quality of life in a long-term-care setting, Illinois families can learn about the Long-Term Care Ombudsman and nursing-home resources.

How King David Moving & Storage Supports Senior Community Transfers

King David Moving & Storage has served Chicago and nearby suburbs since 2004. We understand that a transfer between senior communities often includes tight move-in schedules, elevator reservations, certificates of insurance, small rooms, family deliveries, storage, and belongings that require patient handling.

Depending on the move, our team can provide:

• Packing and unpacking
• Furniture padding and protection
• Disassembly and reassembly
• Loading, transportation, and unloading
• Delivery of selected belongings to family members
• Storage coordination
• Placement of furniture according to the approved floor plan

Our movers do not provide personal care, medical transportation, medication handling, or clinical placement advice. We coordinate the physical move with the family and the authorized staff at both communities.

If your family is moving between senior living communities in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs, request a free moving estimate or call (847) 470-0055. Tell us about both communities, the room sizes, access requirements, furniture, packing needs, and any additional delivery or storage stops.

For general downsizing and packing preparation, read our separate guide to moving tips for seniors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would an older adult move from one senior community to another?

Common reasons include cost, location, room size, family access, dining preferences, mobility changes, a need for more personal assistance, or a need for memory care or skilled nursing. The family should identify the exact problem the new community must solve before making a decision.

How far ahead should families schedule the transfer?

When possible, begin four to six weeks ahead. Allow more time when the resident needs a new assessment, the community requires medical forms, several relatives are receiving belongings, or the move includes storage. Confirm acceptance and the room before booking movers.

How much does a senior living community move cost in Chicago?

The price depends on the amount being moved, access at both communities, travel distance, crew size, packing, furniture preparation, elevator timing, storage, and additional delivery stops. A written estimate based on both locations is more reliable than a general phone price.

What furniture should move to the new room?

Move only pieces that fit the measured floor plan without blocking walking paths, bathroom access, closets, emergency equipment, or staff assistance. A bed, supportive chair, dresser, lamp, and a few familiar items often matter more than filling the room.

Can movers transport medications and medical records?

Medications, identification, insurance cards, medical records, legal papers, valuables, and essential mobility devices should remain with the resident or an authorized family member. They should not be packed on the moving truck.

How can a family prepare someone with dementia for the move?

Coordinate the plan with the new community and appropriate healthcare professionals. Keep explanations simple, preserve familiar routines when possible, limit unnecessary activity around the resident, and set up recognizable belongings before arrival. The best approach depends on the individual.

How can families compare nursing homes?

Families can use Medicare Care Compare to review Medicare-certified nursing homes and should also tour facilities, read the agreement, ask about staffing and services, and speak with the resident’s care professionals. Illinois families can contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman for information about resident rights and advocacy.