Many seniors prefer to age in place because they want to be surrounded by familiar places, people, and belongings. However, having their loved ones living at home is often a concern for some family members who feel their elderly loved ones won’t be safe or have the necessary care. Read on for details about aging in place, including its benefits and ways your loved one can take advantage of remaining at home.
Staying at Home & within the Community
The types of illnesses or other health conditions your loved one lives with can determine the type of care they need. For instance, if your loved one has mobility limitations, they’ll need assistance with cooking, cleaning the home, bathing, transportation, and other daily activities. Your family can step in to share these responsibilities, adapting them to meet your loved one’s current abilities as well as your personal schedules and financial capabilities.
You can also hire a caregiver to assist when you and your siblings are unable to take on caregiving tasks. Doing so gives your loved one the ability to age in place in the community they love instead of living in an elderly care facility.
One of the most challenging tasks of helping an elderly relative age in place safely and comfortably is researching agencies that provide 24-hour home care as well as overnight and live-in care. Families can turn to Corio by Institute on Aging (IOA) for reliable, high-quality home care in San Francisco for aging adults. We offer 24-hour care for seniors who require extensive assistance, and we also offer respite care for family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties.
Independence
Aging in place allows seniors to maintain independence without putting their health at risk. Maintaining independence is beneficial for mental, physical, and emotional health. It can delay the aging process and the progression of diseases and various health conditions. Simply getting up each day and looking out the windows of their own home can boost your loved one’s quality of life, as it allows them to feel they’re retaining significant control.
There are a variety of age-related health conditions that can make it more challenging for seniors to live independently. However, many of the challenges they face can be easier to address if their families opt for professional overnight, live-in, or hourly home care. You can rely on expertly trained caregivers to keep your loved one safe and comfortable while aging in place.
Financial Benefits
If your loved one is living on a fixed income, they must balance their budget and spend money on necessities, with only occasional spending on shopping, entertainment, outdoor eating, and more. By aging in place, your loved one only spends money on the care services they need, whereas at an assisted living facility or nursing home, they may have a monthly bill that includes services they don’t use.
Privacy
Sharing a bedroom with another adult may not sound appealing to most seniors, and it can cause their health to worsen. They may give up on being strong and begin to experience depression, anger, and other negative emotions because at least some of their privacy is being taken away.
Even if your loved one has a private room in a healthcare facility, sharing entertainment rooms, eating with others, and having different individuals coming in and out of the facility could reduce their privacy. This includes other residents having family and friends stop by and medical professionals being there throughout the day as well as individuals assisting with daily cooking, cleaning, activity prepping, and more.
Many seniors prefer aging in place over moving to assisted living facilities. If your senior loved one needs assistance to remain safe and comfortable while living at home, reach out to Corio by IOA, a leading senior care agency. Our dedicated in-home caregivers can assist with meal prep, bathing and grooming, exercise, medication reminders, and many other important tasks. To create a customized home care plan for your loved one, call us today at (415) 750-4111.