Aging in Place

Article from Aging In Place: National Council for Aging Care

Anyone with senior parents or relatives will worry about their well-being, safety, and long-term care. When thinking of the best way to take a very good care of older adults, aging in place becomes a very simple solution anyone can successfully integrate.

Staying at independent homes is a possibility. However, for ultimate comfort and for the benefits derived, aging at home becomes a very easy solution. According to scientific studies, seniors can prolong their health by living in their own homes.

Furthermore, many studies have shown that more than 90 percent of seniors have reported that they prefer living in their own homes. It is obvious that these seniors have envisaged the comfort living they can derive when they choose to stay home.

The importance of aging at home is a very wide topic. No one can give you all the benefits and good points of aging in place. This piece of writing will focus on giving you some of the reasons why—combined with a little in-home care by caregivers—aging at home is good for you.

Although you should note that aging at home is not good for you alone, it is also good for the people around you. It makes your family and friends feel comfortable too. By aging at home, you can be visited by any family member at any time.

Before taking you through the reasons why aging in place is good for you, it is vital to know that living in other places that are not your home can give you low levels of comfort and satisfaction. It can even deplete your finances too.

The home you hope to age at is yours. You have all the freedom to do anything and meet anyone at any time. You can decide to modify any furniture or get rid of unimportant things within your home. There are really no limitations to what you can do and what benefits you can enjoy within your own home.

As an older adult, comfortable living is as important as health care. Aging in place is integral to that comfort. What are those reasons why you should age at home for comfort living? Read them below

Reason #1: Safety

This is your own home. This is where you have been for some years. The fact that you are growing in age shouldn’t be a consideration for a change in location. What is even more alarming is the possibility of contracting diseases from other seniors if you choose to stay at nursing homes.

This phenomenon is unlikely to happen when you live in your own home. As you age, your immune system weakens. This increases the chances of contracting diseases from others. When you live in your own home, you are less likely to become sick compared to living in an independent neighborhood or retirement community built for seniors.

Reason #2: You Become Really Independent

Growing up, everyone wants to be independent, but no one was truly independent. This is the chance for you to stay true to that thirst for freedom. If you want to enhance your mental and emotional well-being, it is crucial to seize your freedom and remain self-sufficient.

If you want to enhance your mental and emotional well-being, it is crucial to seize your freedom and remain self-sufficient.

Aging in place allows seniors to live a very comfortable life in their homes while having their freedom all to themselves. It is general knowledge that the kind of freedom you can obtain within your home is quite different from what you will experience in nursing homes.

If truth be told, seniors in nursing homes are not all that independent because many of their decisions are based on what everyone else does and what is accepted in the environment in which they live.

By living at home, you can be visited by anyone at any hour of the day. You can choose to prepare and eat any meal you desire. Everything is done according to your wishes.

Reason #3: You Live A Comfortable Life

It might sound trite, but comfort comes with aging in place. By being comfortable, it means you can do what pleases you and those things that inspire you. Aging is a transition period which can be made into an interesting period of your life.

That is why at this stage, you have to seek comfort in everything you do. Living in a nursing home with many seniors to receive long-term care might mean you have to alter your routine to fit into everyone’s routine or to fit into what is highlighted by homecare.

Nothing of such is obtainable in your own home. You can sleep or wake up whenever you wish, as still receive health care when needed via in-home care. You can alter your physical environment to what will give you the maximum rest and satisfaction you desire.

There are lots of alterations you can make just to give yourself that little bit more comfort that every senior deserves. Living in an environment other than your home means you will have to alter your personality to fit into foreign facilities, utilities, and people.

However, aging in place means you don’t have to make any serious alterations to your lifestyle before you can enjoy yourself. You are enabled with maximum comfort by choosing to age at home.

Reason #4: Proximity To Family And Friends

It is safe to say that most of your family and friends live around you, as well as any caregivers. Even if some of them don’t, they surely know where you reside and they can visit you at any time.

Seniors always prioritize being close to their loved ones. It is a plus for them as they can still play with their grandchildren and visit their childhood friends. Familiarity brings a lot of smiles to the faces of elders. It is also known to be a factor for longevity in lifespan.

More so, being close to your family and friends entails that they can help you with chores around the house. You can also take a walk to a friend’s house that is near your own house. There are lots of benefits of living in your home as you age.

Assisted-living facilities can limit the quality time you spend with these fantastic people. Even relatives might have to step back a little if where you are is very far from them. Also, assisted living facilities to regulate visits.

This poses a huge limitation on the social time you spend with the most important people in your life. If you want frequent visits from children, grandchildren, and friends, the best is to age in place.

Reason #5: Think About The Money

While the most vital aspect of life when aging is health, money is a crucial element too. You need money to be in shape. You need money to receive the best medical attention and eat the right food at the right time.

Though health is vital, money is the next most important thing to consider. When making considerations about where to live during your twilight years, ensure you should also think about the finances. If you choose to age in place, you don’t have to pay extra mortgage fees to secure any housing apartment.

On the other hand, choosing to live in a seniors’ apartment will consume a lot of money you could have spent on other important areas. Besides the acquisition of a new apartment, you will also spend on some installations and furniture.

The cost of nursing homes will also add up faster than you thought. However, aging in place is a cheaper option, especially as most seniors own their homes and they already have everything they will ever need in place. The might not need to purchase any other thing except they choose to.

Reason #6: Convenience Of Services

Convenience is a big part of comfort. You cannot live a comfortable life that lacks convenience. By aging in place, you are endowed with the convenience of having every service delivered to you whenever you want.

The services noted here include daily activities like buying items and interval activities like health services. This is a good benefit for seniors, especially those whose mobility has declined due to their increase in age.

As a senior, you can choose to be attended to at home, and you may want to go to the point of service. This is unlike a nursing home where everything is done in a regulated manner. To summarize this point, choosing to age in place is choosing a convenient life.

Conclusion

The things that we do as humans on a daily basis are numerous. Some are private, others are not. Some are a priority, others are not. However, aging in place puts you right at the center of the activities you would love to do every day.

Choosing otherwise means you are putting your freedom and convenience in the hands of some people. These are people who do not know your inner desire. Aging in place lets you live the life you want to live, gives you the safety you need, the independence you deserve, and strengthens your relationships with the people who you consider the most important to you.

By aging in place, you are endowed with the convenience of having every service delivered to you whenever you want.

Homes are where everyone feels safe irrespective of the age. With the numerous benefits of aging in place, the safety you get from home is the most important. At an old age, you don’t have the strength to struggle for a small space which is what happens at nursing homes.