How TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Continues to Support the Senior Community

Over 50% of moves completed by TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® are for people over the age of 50. Moving is stressful enough, but the stress is easily compounded when the person being moved is leaving their long-time home, in a fragile medical state or taking on the transition with little to no familial support. Because of this, the moving franchise with more than 430 locations nationwide, has honed its senior moving processes to make the entire transition as smooth as possible for all parties involved.

“It’s really a lot of communication. When I’m working with the elderly community, I have to kind of take away their stress,” said Marci McEnaney, general manager of Missoula. “This is overwhelming for them. A lot of times, I’ll write down everything we’ve talked about so they can refer back to the information. We also talk to them about six to eight times before we move them, just reassuring them and letting them know that the cavalry is coming, and we have everything under control.”

In addition to working closely with the person being moved, many TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchises have built relationships with local senior care facilities to make the process even easier. Whether a client is moving from one facility to the next or is making their first transition from home to assisted living, having movers who understand the intricacies of an assisted living facility can make the process even easier.

“Our movers and drivers are professionally trained, background checked, and drug tested. And they’re trained in working with the senior living communities specifically,” said Gianni Massaro, former marketing and recruiting coordinator of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK  Lansing. “They understand the logistical aspects of the process but also know how to work with the elderly community and staff of the facility to make the best impression.”

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s Supplemental Services

Senior moving cases typically stem from an individual downsizing from a large home to a smaller one or even moving into a retirement-type community. This shift to another kind of home can be work-intensive in terms of the preparation required for an efficient move.

As moving experts, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK teams can support their customers with additional services like packing and junk removal. Movers can effectively and safely pack customers’ belongings and help with junk removal services so they’re as prepared as possible for their moves.  And, once everything is moved, the team can unpack as well!

Another TWO MEN AND A TRUCK service that can come in handy is the Value Flex® Long-Distance Moving service. McEnaney explained that, especially for clients relying on Medicare, there may be an extremely limited selection of potential living communities in a state that can address a client’s care needs and fit within a given budget, and these communities may not be right around the corner.

“You end up moving clients to places around the state, and at that point, it’s often a case worker coordinating it all,” she said. “There might not be family that lives in the area, and the caseworker is trying to find this person a place that will accept them and is also in their pay bracket. It can be brutal. The main thing that we focus on is getting the cheapest rate we can because we know there isn’t much flexibility in these situations.”

Especially for a senior who may be moving a few belongings but does not need the contents of an entire home moved across the state, a Value Flex move saves money and ensures the necessary items still make it to their intended destination. 

Other Ways to Prepare

Taking on a major move can create a high-pressure environment. While TWO MEN AND A TRUCK teams bring decades of expertise and a deep respect for the process and unique needs of senior clients, there are a few steps clients, and their families can take ahead of time to further reduce the stressful nature of the process.

Most importantly, once you know you’ll be moving, start making plans. This includes reaching out to your local TWO MEN AND A TRUCK team to ensure the equipment and team you need will be available when you need them. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK recommends making reservations two to four weeks in advance.

“Create an action plan as soon as you know that you’re moving. Look into the facility you’ll be moving to, and even consider getting a walkthrough to see the layout of the space,” said Massaro. “Then, you can tell TWO MEN AND A TRUCK what to expect so they can give a more accurate recommendation and quote.”

With this information in mind, you can begin the sorting process for any downsizing that will be required. Sorting between items that should be kept, donated, or thrown away is a great first step. For items that can be donated, specifically, try to pack like items together and label them accordingly. This way, they are packaged and ready to drop off to an organization that needs this specific type of item rather than making a large, mixed donation.

This also makes the junk removal process easier for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK team. While the junk removal process gets rid of unwanted items for the client, the franchise does try to donate items where possible for as much landfill diversion as possible.

“The relocation process has a lot of moving parts and can be stressful,” explained Massaro. “That’s one of the biggest reasons why I’d recommend working with a professional. We can make the packing, moving and unpacking part of the process as easy as possible. There are a lot of things to think about, and we want to take this off your plate.”

For more information on moving with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, franchising or to find an open position with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, please visit TWO MEN AND A TRUCK | The Movers Who Care.