More and more, families are making the decision to keep their elderly loved ones at home, rather than in a home, and with the assistance of home care, seniors can safely age in place. What is aging in place? The CDC defines it as the ability to live in one’s own home safely and comfortably. Living at home allows seniors to feel independent for longer, but take these few steps to increase the chances of your loved one living at home both comfortably and safely for many years.

Have a Plan for Aging in Place

A major part of aging in place is to have a plan for things like finances, transportation to run errands, and of course, home health care. The goal is to make a plan that provides your loved one with the things they need to maintain their quality of life and independence.

The plan should include contingencies for the changes that occur as people age, such as what to do when the senior begins to experience a decrease in mobility or mental capabilities. The plan should address what to do when the elderly person’s ability to care for his or herself decreases and they need more help with activities of daily living (ADL).

Having a plan not only helps the elderly person live at home for longer and more successfully, it can also lessen the burden of care on family members, because having a plan means family members will know exactly what to do when the time comes that their loved one needs more assistance.

Make the Home Senior Friendly

It is possible the senior’s home will have to undergo some remodeling in order to allow them to successfully age in place. Critically assess the current living situation, paying special attention to bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, entryways, and the backyard.

Make sure the entryways are barrier-free and consider removing steps to lessen the chances of trips and falls. Install grab bars in the bathroom, elevate the toilet seat, and replace standard tubs with walk-in tubs or showers.

In the bedroom and kitchen, make sure there is plenty of room to move around. Kitchen appliances should be at a level that is easy to access and do not require stooping or bending over.

The lighting in the home should be ample and the light switches easy for the elderly person to reach and turn on and off.

Finally, if the elderly person enjoys gardening, consider adding raised garden beds to the back yard. Doing so will lessen strain to the knees and the lower back.

The Importance of Home Care

One thing that will make an aging in place plan more successful is the support and assistance of a professional home care agency. A home care agency can help determine the level of assistance the elderly person requires and provide it: everything from a few hours a week of assistance with household tasks to the daily support of a CNA.

Enlisting the services of a home care agency early on will also lessen the chances of an injury occurring at home, such as a fall or an illness going unnoticed.

The home care agency can also assist with tasks like taking the elderly person to doctor appointments and monitoring when they use appliances like the stove. Doing this lessens the stress placed on the family and allows the elderly person not to feel like they are a burden to their family.
 

About Guided Living Senior Home Care Guided Living offers home health care services serving Plymouth, MA and the surrounding areas. Our mission is to assist our clients with improving quality of life, encouraging independence within their home and providing first-class care with respect, dignity, compassion and the highest ethical standards. We have incorporated great technology into the company like our FamilyCARES portal that gives families a real time look into their loved one’s care. One of our goals is to build trust and show accountability to clients and their families through transparency. We take care management seriously and each client has a dedicated Registered Nurse Care Manager that will supervise caregivers, perform regular in-home checks, and most importantly be available for clients and families to help navigate through tough questions and uncertainties during difficult times. To speak with a Registered Nurse Care Manager to learn more about our services call 508-927-1213 any time.