Why Seniors Are Choosing to Age in Place
Why do seniors want to stay in their homes well into their golden years? Aging in place has become the desirable option for a growing number of Americans in their seventies, eighties, and even nineties. An AARP survey from 2021 found that 77% of adults aged 50+ anticipate staying in their homes through their old age, and in the next two decades, senior households will jump in number from 34 million to 48 million in the US.
Seniors living independently are largely happier and retain a sense of agency and engagement longer than their counterparts who move to an assisted living or nursing facility. There are, of course, considerations on both sides of the decision to age in place. There are also multiple solutions and resources available for those who are caring for older parents at home.
The Benefits of Keeping the Elderly in Their Own Homes
With the exception of cases with intensive medical needs, seniors benefit from a better quality of life staying in their own homes as long as possible. They benefit emotionally from living in their chosen space, with their chosen possessions, and do well dictating their own routine. In their own home, they choose the temperature, which lights stay on or off, and how quiet or noisy they like it. They also maintain privacy, which is often diminished in other living arrangements.
Aging in place also means not moving away from neighbors, friends, and established communities. It means keeping “their” grocery store and post office, their favorite walking route, and their familiar surroundings. With the changes that come with aging—from retirement to physical capabilities—maintaining familiarity and continuity provides comfort.
There is often a role reversal that comes with aging, where the adult child begins to care for their parent in ways the parent once cared for them. This can be jarring for the elderly parent, with some feeling a sense of loss and even confusion or frustration. Rethinking care for seniors in their home, rather than moving them, allows them to maintain some control and a sense of purpose in the face of starting to need more and more help from their children and others.
Finally, aging at home costs less than moving to a full-time care facility. For those seniors whose care needs are fewer, in-home assistance by a professional or a friend or family member is usually simple to arrange and less costly.
Tips for Elderly Care at Home
Aging-at-home solutions can include household upkeep, technology for security and easy communication, occupational therapy, and more. If you are tackling safe, comfortable in-home care for elderly parents, here are some factors to plan around.
Consider long term prognosis and care for chronic conditions.
For aging parents with heart disease, diabetes, or other chronic conditions, it is important to keep up with treatment and progression. Take advantage of technologies that can collect basic wellness data and help your loved one remember to take medications and attend doctor’s appointments. If they need wound care or pain management, explore options for home health visits.
Stay informed of changes in their mobility, sight, or hearing. If your elderly loved one has Alzheimer’s, or other-cause dementia, consider whether they need frequent check-ins from a family member or a home care professional, or whether their condition is progressing to the point of no longer being able to age in place.
Know the benefits and capacity of home care services.
Home care is different from home health; while the latter directly addresses medical needs, home care services focus on assisting seniors with the activities of daily living, or ADLs, which include eating meals, bathing, dressing, toileting, and transferring (e.g., from a chair to bed). It is a great solution for seniors who do not need 24/7 care. As an added advantage, seniors who are discharged from the hospital to at-home care have a dramatically decreased chance of hospital readmission.
Home care is sometimes covered by medical or long term care insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA’s Aid and Attendance benefit. It is an excellent aging-at-home solution to have at your disposal, especially in the long term as your parent advances in age but wants to remain in their home.
Clean up household routines.
While aging in place is the most comfortable option for most seniors, maintenance and yard work should not be a burden on their shoulders. Look into paid lawn care or a local handyman that can address issues large or small to prevent your elderly parent from climbing ladders or using dangerous power tools. Also do an audit of common household hazards to make sure there are few opportunities to trip and fall or bump into sharp objects.
To keep bills paid and clutter minimal, help your elderly parent set up automatic payments for utilities and other regular expenses. Keep a record of portal log-ins and passwords so that you can assist them with management of their household bills.
Prioritize wellness.
Aging in place resources include those in various aspects of wellness, like physical and emotional health. Encourage your senior parent to exercise and to eat nutritious meals; if they cannot regularly prepare meals, consider a service like Meals on Wheels, help them meal prep one day a week, or enlist your family (or others, like your parent’s religious community) to provide some meals every week.
Guard against loneliness by helping coordinate social opportunities (and transportation). Call or visit, and encourage others connected to your parent to do the same. Help them find online opportunities to socialize with others around shared interests or hobbies. Facilitate their hobbies by doing them together (for example, playing cards, painting, or going to a concert).
Have back-up for when you are unavailable.
Whether you are traveling, working, or otherwise unable to respond should your parent need help, arrange for other family or friends, a neighbor, or a home care service to be on call. Provide vital information and contacts so they can address any needs in your stead.
Caring for aging parents can include allowing them to retain much of their independence. If your loved one wants to stay in their home, but needs home-based care, our VetAssist mission is to make home care easily and quickly accessible for those who qualify through the VA Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit. Veterans Home Care can help you determine whether you or your loved one will be eligible to receive the benefit, which can cover some or all of the cost of home care, and we make it easy to apply. Chat with us via our website, or call us at (888) 314-6075.
