When approaching or passing retirement age, the nagging questions start to set in. Where am I going to continue to live? As seniors, how long should we continue living alone? It isn’t just retirement that sparks these important questions. It could be the that the nest is empty or because of the loss of a spouse.
Many seniors typically choose to live alone, or age in place and now is the time to determine if that is the long-term plan and what kind of support you, or they, will need. If you, or a loved one, are faced with the idea of aging in place, there are a lot of things to be aware of, including options and resources and some of the pitfalls that go along with it.
What is aging in place?
Simply put, aging in place allows seniors to remain in their current homes and communities as they age, opposed to moving to a nursing home or assisted living facility. They can still maintain their independence while receiving the care they need, at the level they need it.
For example, they may not need in-home nursing, but assistance with some household chores, shopping or adjustments to the home so they can continue to safely get around.
In addition to the benefit of their independence, aging in place allows seniors and their families to gradually increase care needs as the need to support their autonomy increases.
The pitfalls of seniors living alone
When aging loved ones decide to live alone, or age in place, there are some things to keep in mind for their safety and well-being.
If the senior living alone lacks a support system, they may find themselves experiencing feelings of loneliness and isolation. There may be physical and mental health issues they need help addressing. They may have some difficulties managing finances, especially if a spouse who usually handles the money has passed.
Another issue might be if the house hasn’t been modified to match and support their physical capabilities. Slips, trips, and falls can happen to any one of us, at any given time. But for a senior, one of these mishaps can have devastating consequences.
From simple assistance to in-home care
We touched on this a bit earlier. Your aging loved one might not need a lot of care to age in place right now. They might need help with simple chores such as light housework, running errands, getting groceries, rides into town, etc.
There are many options out there for this. Certainly, there are services catering to seniors available to take care of all of these needs. If money is tight, or this kind of help isn’t in the budget, there are volunteers who love helping our aging loved ones and help out where they can.
Senior in-home care is available to help aging loved ones keep their independence while still living safely at home. The services for in-home care range wide. Everything from basic assistance with daily activities to complex medical care, to at-home nursing, there are several options available.
Where to find help
There are so many resources available, and so many people willing to help, the choices of finding care, volunteers or other services might be overwhelming. That’s were an advocate like a senior placement specialist can come in and help you determine the level of care and support needed and help make a plan for future needs. Of course, Adore Mom has a fantastic senior placement expert ready to help.
When it’s time to move
There are several indicators that it might be time to graduate from aging in place to an independent living or assisted living community. One might be they simply request it. Another might be that the benefits of an independent or assisted living community start to outweigh those of aging in place.
You and your aging loved one might determine that the costs associated with aging in place are too high when compared to other options. Or, it is simply time.
Again, our experts at Adore Mom are here to help and support you with aging in place options and independent and assisted living options.