Aging in Place: Helpful Tips for Thriving in Your Home

“Unlike moving to a retirement or assisted living community, aging in place allows you to spend the remainder of your golden years in the home that you love.”

Assisted living isn’t the only choice when it comes to senior living. Today, more and more seniors are choosing to age in place. But it’s not always as easy as it sounds. Here’s what you need to know about how to successfully age in place.

What Is Aging in Place?

Aging in place is a term used to describe seniors who choose to remain in their homes as they age. Unlike moving to a retirement or assisted living community, aging in place allows you to spend the remainder of your golden years in the home that you love.

However, aging in place isn’t always such smooth sailing. It takes the right amount of prep work and evaluation to keep you safe and thriving - especially if you plan on living alone.

Tips for Aging in Place

Think aging in place is the best option for you? Here are five tips to make your endeavor to age in place safe and successful.

Take Advantage of Technology

Aging in place hasn’t always been the safest or most feasible option for seniors. However, with modern technological advances, it has become a viable option for most seniors. The trick is to use technology to your advantage.

Things like home security systems, burner alerts, and automatic pill dispensers have improved seniors’ ability to remain safe and independent while aging in place.

Explore Transportation Options

If you’re choosing to age in place, you’ll need to understand the transportation options available to you. As we age, our reaction time slows down, and it can become increasingly difficult and dangerous to drive.

The good news is that many communities offer free transportation for seniors. Alternatively, you might contact local senior living communities to see if their services extend to your area.

Reevaluate Regularly

The most important thing to remember about aging in place is that you’ll need to be open to reevaluating your plan regularly. As much as we’d like things to go according to plan, sometimes life manages to throw curveballs in the way.

For example, your medical care needs will evolve as you age, and they may change in a way that requires care beyond your home. Significant losses in mobility, sight and even hearing can also make it challenging to age in place.

Find the Level of Care You Need

Staying healthy while aging in place is largely a matter of finding the care that you need. But, of course, everyone’s needs are different, so it’s essential to find care solutions that fit you.

You should consider services like meal prep, grocery delivery, food assistance, appointment transportation, and even in-home medical care. All of these necessities will need to be accommodated as you age in place.

Establish a Support Network

Developing a comprehensive support network is a must if you plan on aging in place. That should include family, friends, neighbors, and even professionals.

We all will face the challenge of aging at some point in our life, but a solid support network can make the unknown waters easier to navigate. For example, if you find that you’re struggling with loneliness or depression, your support network is there to help. The same goes for pain or mobility management.

Conclusion: Thrive in Your Home While Aging in Place

Though it takes a bit of prep work to set up, aging in place comes with many benefits. You’ll get to remain in the home you love while getting the individualized care you need. It’s about finding the services, tech, and support you need to make sure you thrive throughout your golden years.

Blackstrap MediaOctober 29, 2021