If you have a senior loved one in your life who’d like to age in place—in other words, remain in their home as they get older—you’re not alone. There’s a comfort to staying in one’s home, and it’s no secret that the cost of assisted living and independent living facilities is expensive.
The best approach for aging in place is to be thoughtful about it and plan ahead when possible. Here are some considerations to help make aging in place as comfortable as possible.
- Talk with your loved one’s doctor if they have any special health concerns, such as diabetes or a heart condition. If your loved one wants to live alone, discuss with the doctor what challenges may arise from living alone with that condition. How will you all handle emergencies, for instance? You’ll want to have healthy options ready to help them should the need arise.
- Think about meals. Is your loved one still interested in cooking, or are they able to safely cook? Do you think they will make nutritious meals? If you have any concerns about what they will eat, find out what options are available for getting healthy, regular meals. This may include at senior centers, churches, Meals on Wheels, with friends or family, or even popular mail-order meal-delivery options (the latter will like to include some preparation and cooking but will save on the hassle of meal planning). If you can afford it, a home care aide also could help with tasks like meal prep and light chores.
- Consider who will pay the bills and organize the mail. Is your senior loved one still up for paying bills on time and organizing their money? Will they be able to sort through their mail without falling victim to scams? If not, one option is to use online bill-pay services that will automatically deduct important monthly bill amounts from their account. Another option is hiring someone who can help pay bills and sort mail. This is just one of the services offered by Secure Aging.
- Consider transportation. Is your loved one still able to drive safely? If not, you’ll want to think about how they will get around. First and foremost, consider how they will get to medical appointments. Are there reliable ride-share services in your area or special transportation options for seniors? How about a good public transportation service? Could you or another friend or family member take them to these appointments? Beyond health care visits, think about other times when your loved one will need to get somewhere, such as visiting friends or the store. These are other occasions where you’ll want to ensure they have regular transportation.
- Help them stay social. Connecting with others is just as important for your senior loved one’s health as their physical health. Find out what senior centers or community centers are in your area and what activities they may have for them. Plan regular visits from friends or family who can say hello or even take your loved one somewhere fun. Encourage your senior loved one to make local friends if they haven’t done so already.
The following article from the National Institute on Aging provides more details on preparing for aging in place.
Next month, we’ll focus on specific safety changes you can make around the home to foster better aging in place.
Call Secure Aging to Find Out How We Can Help Seniors With Care Management
At Secure Aging in Bradenton, we transform the weight of the world into a sigh of relief for our senior clients and their concerned family members. The mission of Secure Aging is to protect care management. As our clients age, it is their desire to remain independent and age with dignity. Our services protect our clients from talented con artists looking to exploit and deplete the financial resources of our vulnerable seniors. Secure Aging helps families in Manatee County and Sarasota County and in and around the communities of Anna Maria, Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, Ellenton, Holmes Beach, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Myakka City, Palmetto, Parrish, and Sarasota. Call us at 941-761-9338, or visit us online at www.secureaging.com.
