Today on All Home Care Matters we will be discussing a Quick Tips episode about safely aging in place. We’ve gathered some tips, tools, and resources that we think can help you and your loved one stay safe at home.

 

If you have loved ones who have decided that they want to remain living in their home then we hope that these tips and resources will help you and them. Let’s get started.

 

Each year, the number of seniors that choose to live at home and age in place rises. Seniors today are more active than previous generations and are living longer than before, which is excellent, and we love to hear that our loved ones are living longer, but it also means that more families are taking on the burden of caregiving. However, caregiving, at least for most families, is a burden that is expected and carried with love. Providing care for a loved one allows us to spend precious time with them, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

 

Aging in place is something more seniors are wanting to do, as they want to live out the remainder of their time in an area they are familiar with and often want to die in their own bed in their own home. If you or your loved one are considering aging in place, there are a few things you can do to prepare and plan to make staying at home during the end of life safe for everyone involved.

 

The first thing you need to do when you are planning on aging in place is to assess your home. You will need to plan for any major changes you need to make, like moving the master bedroom to the first floor to avoid stairs. Just like when you have a new baby and baby-proof your house before they arrive, you will need to ensure your house will continue to be safe as you age and have limited mobility.

 

You will need to ensure you have a safe way to enter and exit the house, preferably without stairs. If you must use stairs to come and go, make sure you have sturdy handrails. There may come a point where you will need a wheelchair and having a ramp installed already will make that adjustment in your life much more manageable at the time. Wheelchair ramps can be quite pricey, but there may be local groups in your area that build ramps for seniors for free or for a reduced price. You can find more information on home safety improvement programs at your local senior center or United Way.

 

Another thing you may need to change if you have the means to is your flooring. Having one floor type throughout the main living space will make going from one room to the next much safer than if you have to go from hardwood to carpet and step over any transition pieces. Having steps in between main living areas, like the kitchen and living room, can also be hazardous while aging in place. If you have steps, try to make them as safe as possible by installing handrails, even if it’s just for a few steps. You should also install sturdy handrails for any flights of stairs between stories, especially if you are still planning on utilizing the second story as you age.

 

Any rugs you have on the floors should also be removed. They can cause someone with limited mobility to fall and as you age, you will come to a point where you find yourself with limited mobility, so it is important to minimize your fall risk.

 

You may also want to install brighter lights, or more light fixtures, to help you see better as you age. Many seniors find themselves having difficulties seeing in normal lighting as they get older and have an easier time seeing in brighter light. If you are interested in difficulties with vision as we age, check out our episode on Cataracts that we recently released. We also talk about how seniors can benefit from brighter lights in that episode.

 

Another room that will be important to modify to ensure you can safely age in place is the bathroom. According to Belvedere Home Care, 80 percent of falls in the home occur in the bathroom. Getting up and down is difficult with limited mobility and even showering becomes more dangerous with age. To make sure you stay safe at home, install grab bars in the bathroom, for the toilet and in the shower, to make sure you have something to steady yourself on and pull yourself up with. You should also consider getting a shower chair or bench and a removable showerhead to avoid a fall while showering.

 

As you age, many changes will happen to your body and it is hard to tell how your body will react to the aging process ahead of time, so it is important to be prepared for as much as possible, so you won’t have to worry about it later. Accidents and falls can happen anywhere. Senior Home Companions recommends installing a landline phone in every room, if possible. If you can’t have a landline phone in every room, you could make sure you always carry a cell phone with you or have a life alert button on hand in case you have an emergency.

 

If you ever do have an accident or an emergency, having an emergency information sheet on hand can be lifesaving. When planning on aging in place, you should make an emergency information sheet that includes a list of all medications you need and when you need them, a list of all your doctors and their information, and a list of family members that need to be contacted during an emergency. You should make sure all your emergency contacts have a copy of this sheet and have a copy next to every phone and on the fridge so that it can be easily located in case of an emergency.

 

Aging at home will require you to accept that you will need help. Things will become more difficult with age and if you are prepared for that and accept it ahead of time, it will make the aging process a lot easier on you. If you own your home, make sure you have a plan for house and lawn maintenance. You can have someone come mow your lawn for you, there may even be volunteer groups that would be willing to provide lawn care and other home maintenance activities for you.

 

Having someone come do your yard work for you may be easy help to accept, but there will come a time when you will need help doing things you didn’t think you would need help with, like cooking, cleaning, personal care, and that’s okay. Your loved ones may come and help you prepare meals or bring meals to you. Having help with cooking will make sure you are still getting all the nutrients your body needs and will help reduce your risk of a fall or accident in the kitchen.

 

When deciding to age in place, you will also need to consider the need for a caregiver as you age. You may not think you will need one now, but that may change, and it’s important to plan for it. You should discuss with your loved ones if a family member will provide care or if you will hire a home care company. Having a plan in place, and money saved up specifically for that use, will make it easier on yourself if the time comes that you do need a caregiver.

 

Lastly, it is important to reassess your needs when necessary. For example, if you are in a two-story house and sleeping upstairs in the master bedroom, but you are having trouble climbing the stairs, it is time to change your sleeping arrangements. If something changes with your health, which it is likely to do as you age, it is important to reassess your needs to ensure you are as safe as possible while you age in place.

 

We want to say thank you for joining us here at All Home Care Matters, All Home Care Matters is here for you and to help families as they navigate long-term care issues. Please visit us at allhomecarematters.com there is a private secure fillable form there where you can give us feedback, show ideas, or if you have questions. Every form is read and responded to. If you know someone is who could benefit from this episode and please make sure to share it with them.

 

Remember, you can listen to the show on any of your favorite podcast streaming platforms and watch the show on our YouTube channel and make sure to hit that subscribe button, so you'll never miss an episode. Next, on All Home Care Matters we will be welcoming a very special guest, Lauren Dykovitz. Lauren cared for her mother after a diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s and has shared her and her mother’s story in two books that she has written. The second book was just released in July and is already a #1 new release on Amazon. This is an interview that you won’t want to miss.

 

Sources:

https://seniorhomecompanions.com/blog/20-healthful-tips-for-aging-in-place-in-2020/

 

https://belvederehealthservices.com/belvedere-home-care/blog/safety-seniors-preventing-falls-bathroom