Carmichael, Ca. – There’s no doubt that moving can be a difficult event for anyone, but for a senior those difficulties escalate. A move for seniors usually involves downsizing which means deciding what to do with possessions that have accumulated over many years. Physically, most seniors are unable to do the actual lifting and moving. Many feel emotionally traumatized by having to leave the place they’ve called home for decades and that is often compounded by the fear of letting strangers handle their treasured household goods.

The good news for seniors in the greater Sacramento region is found in a moving company designed just for them – The Eskaton Moving Connection. More than just a moving company, the Moving Connection deals with every aspect of a senior’s last move. Fred Freeman, program manager for the service, said their aim is to make a move for seniors as painless as possible.

“This transition in life is more difficult than almost any other,” said Freeman. “When confronted with a move, many seniors will walk around their home and ask themselves, ‘where do I begin?’ The first thing we do is have one of our coordinators sit down with them and get to know who they are and what they need. After gathering information we then make a very methodical plan. After that first free estimate meeting, they have a much better idea of what they’re up against.”

According to Freeman, the coordinator finds out just how much help the senior is going to need. The senior can then decide on the many services offered. Some have family members nearby who have time to help while others need more services from Eskaton. Freeman explains just how much help the service can offer. Every move has a coordinator on site when any work is being done from the beginning of the process until the end.

“We had one woman call us from Boston,” said Freeman. “Her mother needed to move from Utah to Sacramento. We flew a team to Utah and put her mother on a plane. We packed up, loaded the moving truck, returned to Sacramento and then unpacked. She was completely set up and her daughter was able to come out and spend time with her. They didn’t have to worry about a thing.”

Clients may choose from just a few services to a complete move in. Joyce Purvis, 80, chose to have everything done for her when she moved into Eskaton Village Roseville. “They were just wonderful,” said Purvis. “They packed everything, moved it here and unpacked. They hung my art on the walls, put away all my dishes and even made the beds. I’ve never been treated so nice in all my life.”

The Moving Connection has partnered with many experts, according to Freeman. “We have piano moving experts, people who set up computers and stereo equipment, appliance people and even an expert to move grandfather clocks. Some people want us to handle everything while others want us to handle just the basics. It’s about having people you can trust. Eskaton has been in business for 40 years now. We are not going to damage our reputation by doing a bad job.”

Relieving clients of unwanted or unneeded items is also an area where The Moving Connection can be invaluable. Freeman said they help the client decide what needs to go to family members, what can be donated to charity and what needs to just be hauled away. Boxed items are color coded to indicate what goes where and then the service facilitates how they are to be sent. “We help the client decide what relatives are getting and then ship it out to them,” said Freeman. “We know what charities accept which items and can make those deliveries.” Freeman said having the client decide what goes to which family member with the coordinator can relieve the family of arguments that can arise while sorting through possessions.

Some clients have a home to sell and need help finding services from handymen and landscapers to real estate agents and home staging professionals. Freeman said they know the reputable businesses and make suggestions for seniors that are unsure of where to look.

The Eskaton Moving Connection is a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), a nationwide organization. This enables them to facilitate moves anywhere. “Having partners in many metropolitan cities means we can handle a move to almost anywhere and know our clients will receive great service,” said Freeman. “The client will get just one bill – from us.”

The Eskaton Moving Connection is available to anyone who needs to be moved regardless of age. Services fees are determined by the amount of hours spent. For more information on the Moving Connection you may call (916) 334-1072 or by e-mail at MovingConnection@ Eskaton.org