Aging In Place

– a concept for all ages.

The definition of “Aging in Place,” is growing older without having to relocate from your home to a facility due to unresolved access issues in the home. As we grow older we don’t want to lose our independence and have to rely on someone else for our needs.

These are the facts:

• Seniors are happier and more content if they are able to live the majority of their lives in familiar surroundings.
• Aging in Place enables you to perform as many activities of daily living (ADL) as possible on your own. Over the years we build friendships with our neighbors and do not want to lose the security those relationships provide. The gift of being able to remain at home for many of our later years, enjoying the familiar rhythms of life is a true gift.
• Seniors are often the most stable influence in our neighborhoods. They have a sense of history and they pay attention to the neighborhood. If forced to move to a facility to resolve accessibility issues or to find adequate and affordable health and housing services, our communities lose this positive stable influence.
• When an individual becomes increasingly dependent on care, or is unable to maximize independence because of restricted abilities, they are more likely to live a shorter, less productive life of decreased quality. The loss of freedom and mobility can cause depression and confusion – accelerating health deterioration.
• A long held assumption contends that as an individual grows frailer they require a continuum of senior living facilities; physically moving from one residence to another as health service needs change. There is growing acceptance of the Aging in Place concept that older persons do not need to relocate as their needs change. Modifying the living environment, adding supportive services and reconfiguring the residence will actually cost less financially and emotionally than moving.
• With life spans expected to reach into the nineties and beyond during the next couple of generations, Aging in Place will become a fact of life in the way we build our homes, design our appliances and consider our bathing needs. Aging in Place considerations can begin with the final home purchase when retirement age is reached. Or better yet, it can begin with the first home purchase with the idea toward the future.
• Comfort and safety, not age and disability should always be the focus. You don’t have to be elderly or have a physical disability to have a bathing issue. Simple modifications to the home today, such as accessible bathing, kitchen modifications and space for mobility can be useful for everyone today and certainly tomorrow.

We believe individuals should stay in their home as long as they want. We have specialized in offering accessible options to help individuals do just that!

(Thank you to Best-Bath for the Aging in Place information)