Moving a parent to assisted living: a printable 60-day checklist, week by week
What to do, in what order, from the day the move becomes real to the first week in the new apartment.
Free printable checklist (PDF)
The same checklist as tick boxes, week by week, with space for your dates, your parent's top five, the tours and who can help. Two US Letter pages, and it downloads directly, with no sign-up and no email address.
- Week 1: write down what happened and set a target date. Hold a family call, ask the care team what help is needed, agree on a budget range, and list and call communities.
- Weeks 2–3: tour three or four places with the same questions and score them. Read the agreement at home, then decide and reserve.
- Weeks 4–7: plan what fits in the new apartment and book movers. Sort the house, change addresses, and get the move-in rules and forms.
- Weeks 8–9: pack, finish the admission paperwork and set up the apartment before your parent arrives.
- Move-in day and week one: keep one family member at your parent's side and follow a written schedule. Afterwards, make short, regular visits.
How much time you need
About 60 days is comfortable once the decision is made. That gives you two weeks to get organized and tour, a week to decide, and a month to downsize and prepare. It also leaves a final week that shouldn't be rushed. Thirty days works when a room opens up or a hospital stay forces the pace. Then you tour faster, decide within about two weeks, and clear the house after the move. We cover that version in how to move a parent in 30 days.
Week 1: get your bearings
- Write a one-page summary. Note what happened, what the doctor or discharge team said about the help your parent needs, and a target move-in date. Then you won't have to retell the story to every sibling and community.
- Hold a 30-minute family call. Talk about who can help and how many hours a week. Agree on one place for information, such as a shared folder and one sheet, so nothing gets lost in five text threads.
- Ask your parent what matters most. Write down their top five in their own words, such as being near church, the cat, a garden or room for the recliner. Take the list to every tour.
- Ask the care team what level of help they recommend, and whether there's a written care assessment. Communities will ask for it.
- Agree on a monthly budget range with whoever handles finances. If Medicaid, VA benefits or long-term care insurance may be part of the picture, book an elder law attorney now. It can take a while to get an appointment.
- Get a sense of cost. The national median for assisted living was $6,200 a month in 2025 (CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025). Prices vary a lot by state and by the level of help included. Always ask each community for its own fee list.
- Build a long list of 6 to 10 communities. Use your state's licensing agency, the local Area Agency on Aging, friends and directories. Communities pay many online directories a fee for each referral, so ask how a directory makes money.
- Look up state inspection reports. Call each community about openings, price range and the help they provide. Then book three or four tours.
To see your own first days with real dates, build your plan in 2 minutes.
Weeks 2–3: tour and choose
- Tour with the same questions everywhere and score each place within 24 hours. Our tour question list has 41 questions in seven groups.
- Eat a meal there and see the actual apartment that is open, as well as the model unit. Measure it.
- Take the residency agreement and fee list home. Don't sign on a tour day. Write down questions about fees, rate increases, notice periods and when a resident would have to move out. If anything is unclear, an elder law attorney can review it.
- Visit your favorite again at a different time, such as an evening or a weekend. Bring your parent if you can.
- Decide and reserve. Confirm the apartment, move-in date and deposit. Ask for the floor plan with measurements and the list of move-in forms.
Weeks 4–7: plan the move and downsize
- Plan what fits. Measure the furniture your parent wants to keep and draw it on the floor plan. Leave a clear path from the bed to the bathroom. ADA guidelines use 36 inches for accessible routes.
- Choose the comfort items first, such as the chair, the reading lamp, their bedding and photos. Everything else fits around them.
- Get three quotes for movers or a senior move manager. Ask whether the community requires a certificate of insurance.
- Start a family claims list with a deadline. Then sort room by room, starting with the rooms your parent uses least.
- Set up mail forwarding and address changes. Tell Social Security, Medicare and other insurers, the bank, the pension plan, the pharmacy and any subscriptions.
- Ask the community for its move-in rules in writing. Find out what's provided, what's not allowed, the move-in times, the elevator booking and how medications are handled on the first day.
- Hold a 15-minute family check-in every week. Shift tasks around if one person carries most of the load.
This checklist, on real dates
Parent Move Plan turns these steps into 79 tasks in Google Sheets. Each task gets a date counted from your move-in day, an owner and a status. Set it to 30, 45 or 60 days.
Get your first 3 days freeWeeks 8–9: pack and prepare
- Pack what your parent won't need before the move, labeled by the room it goes to.
- Confirm the admission paperwork is complete about a week ahead. That means the doctor's forms, any required tests, the medication list and emergency contacts.
- Set up the apartment one or two days early if the community allows it. Make the bed, put the photos up, and place the chair and lamp where they were at home.
- Pack a first-night box that travels in the car. Put in bedding, pajamas, toiletries, glasses, chargers, the TV remote and a few photos. See the full assisted living packing list.
- Keep the last day quiet for your parent, with nothing new.
Move-in day and the first week
The full list is in our move-in day checklist.
- One family member stays with your parent the whole day. Others handle the movers and the apartment.
- Hand over medications and paperwork exactly as the community asked. Meet the key staff, and eat a meal together in the dining room.
- Before you leave, write down when you'll next visit or call, and put it where your parent can see it.
- In the first week, keep contact short and regular. Fix small things, try two activities, and ask when the first care plan meeting is.
- Some sadness and tiredness in the first weeks is common. If you're worried about health or mood, talk to the staff and your parent's doctor.
Who to ask about what
| Question | Who to ask |
|---|---|
| Medicaid, VA benefits, long-term care insurance | Elder law attorney or benefits counselor (via the Eldercare Locator) |
| Power of attorney, health care proxy | Elder law attorney |
| Level of care, memory care, medications | Your parent's doctor and the community's nurse |
| The residency agreement | The community first, then an elder law attorney if anything is unclear |
| Selling or renting the house | Real estate professional, attorney or tax advisor |
| Hands-on help with the move | Movers or a senior move manager (NASMM directory) |
Questions
How long does it take to move a parent into assisted living?
Many families manage it in 30 to 60 days once the decision is made. About 60 days leaves room for tours, reading the agreement, downsizing and paperwork. A 30-day move is possible if you tour quickly, decide within two weeks and wait to clear the house until after the move.
What should I do first when a parent needs to move to assisted living?
Write down what happened and set a rough target date. Hold a short family call to agree who helps. Ask the care team what level of help they recommend, and agree on a budget range. Then build a list of communities and book tours.
What paperwork is needed to move into assisted living?
It depends on the state and the community. Most ask for a care assessment and forms from the doctor, a medication list, emergency contacts and the signed residency agreement. Ask each community for its exact list in writing.
Should my parent's furniture be moved before they arrive?
Many families set up the apartment one or two days early, so the bed is made and familiar things are in place when their parent walks in. Ask the community whether early setup is possible.
Who can help with Medicaid or power of attorney questions?
An elder law attorney. Your local Area Agency on Aging, found through the Eldercare Locator, can point you to benefits counseling and legal help.
Is there a printable checklist or template for moving a parent to assisted living?
Yes. The free PDF on this page has the same 60-day checklist as tick boxes, week by week, on two US Letter pages. It has blank lines for your dates, your parent's top five, the tours and who can help. It downloads directly, with no sign-up and no email address.
What should an assisted living move-in checklist include?
Start with the help your parent needs, a budget range and a target date. Then add tours, the residency agreement, a floor plan for the furniture, downsizing, address changes and the admission paperwork. End with a first-night box, a plan for move-in day and the first week.
To put each of these tasks on a real date, with a name next to it, build your plan in 2 minutes. Or print the checklist and fill in the dates by hand.
Other good free checklists
If you have more time or want a second list, these free resources are worth a look.
- AARP, planning a manageable move (decluttering method and measuring the new space): aarp.org
- Seniorly, assisted living moving checklist: seniorly.com
- Family Caregiver Alliance, downsizing checklist for caregivers: caregiver.org
- NASMM, guide to rightsizing and relocation (free PDF): nasmm.org
Sources and further help
- Eldercare Locator, U.S. Administration for Community Living: eldercare.acl.gov, 1-800-677-1116
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, find a lawyer: naela.org
- National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers: nasmm.org
- U.S. Access Board, ADA Standards 403.5.1 (clear width of walking surfaces, 36 inches): access-board.gov/ada
- CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 (national median cost of assisted living): carescout.com/cost-of-care
- USPS change of address: usps.com/manage/forward.htm
This guide is general information for organizing a move. It is not legal, financial or medical advice.