When a parent is leaving a long-held house, the first call often goes to a moving company. That is the right call for some moves and the wrong one for others. A senior move manager usually plans the whole change, including sorting, what goes to family, what is donated, and what is sold, and then hires the physical movers. A moving company moves what you have already decided to move. Compare the two by the written scope, not the sales pitch.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
Decide what kind of help you need
If the decisions about what stays and what goes are already made and the boxes are packed, a moving company may be enough. If the decisions are not made, if your parent is struggling with the sorting, or if you have no time to coordinate donations and family pickups, a move manager is built for that work. Know which problem you have before you request estimates.
Questions for either kind of company
Ask who actually packs, who unpacks, and who is in the house on moving day. Ask for a written inventory and whether it is updated as items leave. Ask what insurance covers, and request the certificate rather than a verbal promise. Ask how a broken item is reported, who decides what is owed, and how long that takes. Ask about deposits, cancellation terms, and whether the estimate can change after the walk-through.
Questions specific to a move manager
Ask who makes the final call on items your parent wants to keep, and whether your parent or you approves each category before it moves. Ask how donations are picked up and how you get a receipt. Ask whether the manager will work with estate sale companies, auction houses, or charities you choose, and whether they earn a fee from any of them. Ask for two references from families whose situations resemble yours, and call both.
How to compare the estimates
Put each written estimate side by side. Mark what is included, what is extra, and what is unclear. Look for the same items in each: packing materials, labor hours, stairs, elevator use, storage, and disposal. An estimate that leaves a line blank is not the cheaper one. It is the one that has not finished thinking about your move yet.
Protect your parent in the process
Set one fixed walk-through with your parent present if they are able to take part. Let them point to what matters most, and write it down. If your parent does not want to be part of the decisions, name one person who will speak for them and make sure the company knows that person before the first box is taken down.
If you want help finding local resources while you compare, the Local Help for Caregivers in St. Louis page is a good starting point, and the Start Here page explains how this site is organized.