The Story of Move Seniors Lovingly

Many of my best friends are seniors. Maria, 89, was a published author and songwriter. Jim, 82, was a top-gun naval pilot in the Korean War. Audrey, 88, was a competitive tennis player. Eleanor, 92, arranged her own 90th birthday party inviting guests from all over Canada.

My mother Frances, 93, was a nurse and artist (see photo). My Auntie Marg was the General Manager of an international hair products company. My mother-in-law Verna worked alongside her husband to build a successful steel company in the early fifties. All of them were people of tremendous strength and fortitude! During their most vulnerable times, I witnessed their indestructible spirit. Their lives taught me patience and courage and strengthened my faith. I am blessed that they were once a part of my life, and I miss them dearly.

Throughout the years, my husband Brian and I were volunteers for “The Out of The Cold Program,” a non-denominational charity run by the churches to provide meals for the homeless during the winter months. During that time, we founded “The Out of The Cold Foundation” and for seven years produced “The Teddy Bear Affair,” the annual fundraising gala for The Children’s Aid Foundation.

In 2005, after a 20-year career as a published songwriter/singer in the music industry and producer of corporate shows for Fortune 500 companies, my book, Coach Houses of Toronto (The Boston Mills Press/Firefly) was released. The book sold out! I could now add published author to my resume. That is when I got the idea!

I had moved my mother-in-law, mother, and aunt, managing details from the estate, including the sale of the home, sale and disposal of unwanted items, choosing a residence, moving, designing, and setting up their new homes. As a former producer, I was used to working with impossible deadlines and managing a team under stressful conditions.

Creating Move Seniors Lovingly in 2005 was natural for me. It would be a service-based company for seniors with a move transition process perfected from my many years of producing. The result would be a completed suite evening of move-in. In short, curtain time! To date, no other company was providing this full-service move transition concept to seniors in Canada or the US. I would be a trailblazer. But how would I be received?

Kicking off my concept was easier than I anticipated. I visited a Chartwell senior residence in Toronto and introduced the concept to the marketing person. She was excited and impressed by my presentation and simply said, “When can I refer you?”

My first referral came within a week of my presentation. It was a senior lady, I will call her Mary, moving from her three-bedroom home of over 50 years into a one-bedroom suite at the residence. I visited her, listened to her story, and assured her I could handle all the details of her move. Best of all, she wouldn’t have to lift a finger. Mary signed the estimate, and the job began. At no time did I ever doubt I could deliver. This would be a mini show featuring my concept. Compared to the large-scale shows I was used to producing, this should be relatively easy.

When the suite was completed the evening of the move-in, Mary walked in to see her new home completely set up and functional. The layout was beautiful as per the floor plan she had authorized, her art was professionally installed, electronics working, and her precious lifetime collectibles displayed beautifully as she had requested. Her old home was downsized, premium cleaned, and staged ready for her agent to put on the market. Mary was ecstatic, but I was over the moon! My concept worked! I had just created a new industry: full-service senior move transition services answering every need with a completed suite evening of move-in. You don’t have to lift a finger!

In 2008, my husband Brian Salnek joined the company. His years of experience in office furnishings, logistics and architectural and interior design were a perfect fit to enhance the quality of our services.

Today, Move Seniors Lovingly is a trailblazer and Canadian leader in Senior Move Transition Services. I can say without hesitance, “I Wrote the Book” on this new industry. Over the years, our process has been refined to ensure cost and time efficiency. We have created a solid business model with a 100% success rate, supporting a true need in the community.

Best of all, Move Seniors Lovingly is not the Margo and Brian Show! All of our franchisees are highly trained, independent business owners following our move transition process that works like a gem. Our franchisees are wholeheartedly committed to providing superior service to our clients, resulting in a timely, cost-efficient transition with a completed, fully functional suite evening of move-in.

Over the past nineteen years, Move Seniors Lovingly has provided move transition services for seniors and their families, empty nesters, real estate professionals, and many of the largest national providers across Independent Living, Assisted Living, Long-Term Care, In-Home Healthcare, and Referral Companies in Southern Ontario.

Margo Salnek

CEO, Founder