Our team’s approach to senior home safety is a successful formula we have developed over the years of helping many, many seniors and their families. Today, we’ll share a little about our approach to aging-in-place and some insider tips to successfully aging in the comfort of your own home.
- The property and the person need a “checkup” as they age. We call this the Comprehensive In-Home Assessment in the eldercare world. It is vital to assess both the physical environment and the person’s status in different areas (cognitive, physical, ability to manage ADLs and IADLs, etc.). This allows problems to be addressed before they build to a crisis (just picture a home that’s never been repaired or maintained and you’ll get the picture). An initial assessment gives you a baseline, which can then be spot checked on a regular basis for changes.
- An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you want to remain safely in your home as you age, now is the time to do planning and practice prevention. We still find the majority of people bring in home care services after a hospitalization, fall or other crisis. By acting early, you can engage more affordable, adaptable solutions that prevent bigger problems. Don’t forget it’s also important to practice preventative medicine (with many services/screenings 100% covered by Medicare).
- Think “interdependence”, not independence. Everyone always says, “I want to maintain my independence” when in reality most of us live interdependent lives. There’s nothing wrong with needing some help from others. Where we often fail with aging is realizing what elders offer in return and continuing to provide purpose and a feeling of usefulness. In your “aging wisely” plan, consider how you will maintain purpose and direction, by continuing to engage in favorite activities or taking up new hobbies, volunteering, being involved with grandchildren, etc. While many people look forward to “relaxing” after retirement, few people do well adjusting (or stay healthy) if they spend all day watching T.V. Read more of our thoughts about aging and interdependence.
- It takes a village. We also call this the “care team”. An elder’s support system may consist of family, friends, neighbors/church members, medical providers and paid care providers…to name a few.
- One size does not fit all. Just because a solution worked for your friend’s Mom doesn’t mean it will work for yours. This is why we emphasize the individuality of our care management assessments…there is no one care facility we recommend for everyone, we don’t refer everyone to the same doctor and we don’t tell everyone they need X# of hours/week of care. It’s also why we developed the life history and daily routines questionnaire and personalized care plan at EasyLiving. It’s important to analyze the individual’s situation and desires to find solutions to match.
When you’re committed to aging wisely and want to help someone you love maintain choices and dignity as they get older, give us a call: 727-447-5845. We’re here to help! You can also sign-up to get our insider tips:
