Yes, they can! Sometimes, when people get older, they want to stay in their own homes, and that’s okay. It’s called “aging in place.” Let’s talk more about it!
To stay at home, Mom and Dad need some things to help them. Here are a few essential things:
- Being Healthy: It’s easier for Mom and Dad to stay home if they are healthy. They should be able to do their daily activities alone or with help. Great examples of this would be housekeeping, gardening and laundry. Some people and resources are inexpensive and readily available for these undertakings. Requiring assistance differs from being unable or ill-equipped to stay in our homes. Let’s face it, as kids, most of us have or want to hire a housekeeper to help with laundry and other domestic duties!
- Changes to the Home: The home might need some changes to make it safer and more accessible for them. For example, they might need to grab bars in the bathroom, ramps instead of stairs, better lighting, or changes to make falling less likely and having lights on timers and monitoring technology to alert the children. Are you worried about a stove left on into the night? There is a technology for that! Firms like Techie Nesters can guide you in day-to-day technology from companies like Apple, Google and many others. If you don’t have money to spend, don’t worry. A common solution is snapping a picture of the stove knobs with their phone every night and sending them to the kids. An inexpensive Smart Switch is a low-cost solution to determine what items are on or off after bedtime.
- Safety and Accessibility: Mom and Dad’s home should be safe and easy to move around. They might need help to make sure there are no things they can trip on, that the stairs are safe, and that the doors are wide enough for wheelchairs or walkers if they need them. Now is an excellent time to de-clutter and remove any items that could create a tripping hazard.
- Help from Others: Mom and Dad need people who can help them, which could be a cadence of family members, friends, neighbours or paid caregivers. They can help with things like dressing in the morning (or at night), cooking, or going places.
- Going to the Doctor: Mom and Dad need to be able to go to the doctor when they need to. They might also have a nurse or a doctor who can visit their home to check on them. If there’s an emergency, they need to be able to get help quickly. When it comes to clothing, loose is better—slip-on shirts and sweaters vs items with many complicated buttons, snaps and zippers are a better choice.
- Things to Do: It’s fun for Mom and Dad to have something to do near their home. They might have places like a particular club for older people, programs that deliver meals to their homes, or transportation services to take them to different places. These things can make their lives happier and more enjoyable.
Sometimes, aging in place is only possible for some. Some people might need more help or have more extensive health problems. In those cases, Mom and Dad might need to go to a special home where they can get more assistance. The decision about where to live when they get older is different for everyone. It depends on what they need and what will make them happy and safe. A home is thousands of dollars every month. Compared to the much lower cost of technical and home improvements combined with some hiring help to pop in from time to time, it could save your family thousands of dollars everyone and can extend the amount of time mom and dad spend at home for not just months but years.
Remember, it’s vital to love and support Mom and Dad as they age, no matter where they decide to live.
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