Frank and Sylvia Velzen downsized from a single family home to a patio home about 14 years ago. Now in their mid-70s with some health issues, the Velzens are preparing for a move to the Holly Creek Retirement Community in Centennial ( www.hollycreekretirementcommunity.com). Opened in 2005, the nonprofit Holly Creek enables seniors to preserve their upscale, maintenance-free living and tap into various levels of health care and services as they age.

Helping the Velzens with this transition is Friend of the Family (www.myfriendofthefamily.com), a full-service relocation management company based in Highlands Ranch. Company owner and founder Anne McMahon started Friend of the Family in 2006 after managing 17 cross-country moves of her own. She knows first-hand the challenges of moving and re-establishing order amid the chaos.

"Our team strives to make each move the best, easiest and most stress-free ever for each client," McMahon explains. "For clients like the Velzens, we are helping them with space planning for their furniture in the new home; colors and design for their new home; reducing clutter; and organizing closets to maximize their space."

The newest luxury living community for older adults opening soon in the south metro area is Classic Residence by Hyatt ( www.hyattclassic.com) in Highlands Ranch. Because the company knows how important it is for residents to make a smooth transition from their former residence to the new one, Classic Residence by Hyatt has contracted with Friend of the Family and two other relocation management services to provide moving services to each new resident. "With one of my clients who is moving to Classic Residence by Hyatt, we are helping her make the transition in stages," McMahon explains. "We're first helping her to de-clutter and move important furniture items to the new place. Once she's settled and sure that she has everything she wants and needs, then it will be time to put the house and any surplus items up for sale."

Patty Solig of the Moving Station, a relocation management company in Chicago, hired Friend of the Family to be one of the contractors for Holly Creek Retirement Community and the new Classic Residence by Hyatt. "Anne really understands seniors, especially those who have been in their homes for 30 or 40 years," Solig says. "She emphasizes with them and knows that it's important to take time and just listen to their concerns and fears."

Friend of the Family is a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers. Established in 2002, NASMM has grown tremendously since then and foresees continued growth because of the huge numbers of baby boomers who will be retiring in the coming years who need help with their transition.

Services offered by Friend of the Family include room planning; hiring and managing cleaning crews, painters and installation crews; arranging for auctions, resale or donation of surplus property; sorting, packing, unpacking and hanging artwork; interior design consultation; professional organizing services; and more.

"We can do just about anything in conjuction with a client's move," McMahon says. "We like to think of ourselves as 'family you can tell what to do'."

For more information about Friend of the Family, visit www.myfriendofthefamily.com, call 303-587-4579 or email Anne McMahon at friendrelo@aol.com.

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