Many people dream of living in their homes even as they start to age. However, doing so requires careful forethought and planning to ensure your safety. To help you make it happen, it’s always best to make a couple of essential adjustments to sustain you or your loved one’s independence.
Learning a few aging in place ideas is only one way to help you prepare for it beforehand. These ideas should include a few changes to any house to create a usable and safe environment to live in once your loved ones reach their golden years. So, we’ve assembled a list of ideas aging in place ideas that you can do for your home care franchise and even at home.
Make the necessary changes
If you want to make a house safe for old-age living, you must make it adaptable to their physical needs. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) says that it can be as simple as transferring kitchen supplies to the lower cabinets, so they don’t have to reach for it every time. You can also consider installing grab bars and a couple of floor treads to prevent accidents, especially in the bathroom.
It would help if you considered hiring a contractor to do a couple of complicated projects like doorway widening for wheelchairs and changing out bathtubs for walk-in showers. So, to help you find a contractor who can do the projects, it’s highly advisable to work with an occupational therapist to work with your local home builders.
Learn to use technology
Once your loved one has decided where they’ll live for the long term, you need to ensure that they can access the right services to help maintain their independence. One way to do it is by using technology to their advantage. Several medical alert buttons can work anywhere they go. Even more, it also connects directly to a call center no matter the time of the day.
You can also consider enabling video chatting with loved ones so they can chat with their family virtually. Another way to keep their house safe is by placing a video camera in their home. Then, you can connect the gadget to their loved one’s app so that they can get a visual check on them any time.
Hire assistance
A home companion lives with an aging person to help him do light housework on their behalf. Although they often stay with them for an hour or two in a day, it’s more than enough to keep them safe. The U.S. News says that prices typically start with at least $20 for every hour, depending on your loved one’s needs. Their tasks include but are not limited to cooking, doing groceries, or even sharing a meal.
Experts say that it isn’t enough to make the house adaptable to their needs. It’s also crucial to ensure that they can freely attend their doctor’s appointments to manage their chronic conditions. They also need to maintain their diet while keeping a healthy lifestyle. However, it’s equally important to help them retain their socializing habits to prevent them from feeling isolated.
