The term aging in place has become a popular one in recent years. What exactly does it mean? It means that an elderly person can live independently for the longest amount of time. Many elderly people have a fear that at some point they will have to live in an assisted living home and most want to avoid it at all costs. It can be avoided but good planning is necessary to make aging in place a reality.
How is Aging in Place Possible for Seniors
There are many things you must be capable of to be able to continue aging-in-place. If you cannot safely care for yourself than it is likely your family members will have to start looking at different solutions. You need to be able to feed yourself, shop, take your medications and handle the day to day things like showering and using the bathroom independently.
In addition to being able to do these things you should also have some back up plans. Sometimes things that are just short term problems can turn into emergencies because of poor planning. Maybe you will have an issue that stops you from driving for just a few weeks. If this is the case things could get sticky with trying to get family members to drive you here and there. However if you have identified elderly services ahead of time such as transportation this emergency turns into nothing more than a phone call to fix.
A great way to organize this is with checklists. Creating checklists means that when you need particular services to keep your life moving it will be at your fingertips. Another facet of aging in place is sometimes having assistive devices available. For example getting in and out of the tub may be difficult for you but with a bath bar it is much easier. Putting these types of assistive devices in place can help you keep your independence longer. Your particular circumstances may vary but the idea is putting things in place before you need them or identifying what kinds of devices can make it easier to live independently.
The secret to aging in place is to know what elderly services are available in you area and anticipating what kinds of care you might need at some point. There may come a time when cooking or shopping for yourself is impossible. Without a backup plan on how you are going to continue to get nutritious and frequent meals that would probably be a deal breaker for continuing to live on your own. However if you have already identified this as a potential problem and found a resource for it you can just keep moving forward.
Many seniors would prefer to age in place. No one likes the idea of having to live in an assisted living facility or becoming a burden to family members. If you have an aging parent you should have a conversation with them about what their wishes would be and if possible help them organize a plan to be able to fulfill their wishes.
There are however situations where aging in place might not be possible. Any time an older person cannot safely care for themselves anymore the only option for staying in the same place is full time home health care. If that is not a possibility because of finances or other issues the person must be moved somewhere where they will be safe. Safety of the person is always the primary concern.
You can also seek out professional help to put your aging-in-place plan in place. There is a profession of people called Certified Aging in Place Specialists (CAPS) who know all the ins and out of what it takes to execute a good aging in place plan. They can help you identify possible situations you can find yourself in and what resources could potentially help you. They can also help you decide what assisted devices might be right to be installed in your home.
The most important thing is getting organized and putting your plan in place. This gives you the best opportunity to live independently for the longest amount of time. There are many things you future may hold which could include mobility issues, dementia issues or even a need for full time nursing. If you have thought through each of these events before they happen and have a plan in place these events don’t have to turn into emergencies with everyone scrambling to find you the care you need.
Aging in Place – Conclusion
Aging in place is something all of us wish to happen for ourselves but for many it just doesn’t become a reality. If you plan well and create good aging-in-place checklists you will find it is much easier to make that dream a reality. So start getting yourself organized now and then whatever the future may bring you will be ready for it.
