Age in Place: Strategies

Aging in place is a great alternative to putting an elderly loved one in an assisted living facility. It allows seniors to stay in a comfortable, familiar environment while making sure their needs are being taken care of. Some preparations are necessary before allowing a senior to age in place.

1. Make the home safe. As we age, we experience certain changes such as limited mobility and impaired eyesight. Bones lose density and falls become more dangerous. Because of this, it's important to change things around your loved one's house to make it as safe as possible. Some of these things include:

• Add handrails and bath mats to the bathrooms
• Remove throw rugs
• Get them nonslip shoes

1. Help maintain the home. Whether you go to their house yourself to clean or if you hire a maid service to help with deep cleaning, keeping the home neat is a major help to seniors. A clean home provides comfort to your loved one. Maintenance is not limited to just cleaning. Because of the limited mobility that often comes with aging, it may also be necessary to have someone take care of the landscaping around the house.
2. Create a team. One person can not do it all. Work with the family to assign jobs to different members and create a schedule for when these jobs need to be done. For example, schedule everyone to check on your loved one on a different day. Some things they can do to help include preparing meals and organizing medications. Make sure everyone is completely on board to do the job they have been given. Keep communication open to prevent any misunderstandings.
3. Embrace modern technology. Getting a medical alert system could be a literal lifesaver in the event of a fall or other emergency. Medical alert systems give your loved one access to emergency care no matter where they are in the house. Another technology to embrace is a pill timer. These handy little pill organizers let users know when it is time to take their medication. Modern technology is great to give seniors more independence with the added bonus of giving caretakers peace of mind.
4. Create a reasonable budget. Aging in place doesn't have to be a major expense. By creating a budget, you can create a detailed list of what you think you might need to make aging in place possible for your loved one. Some things to include in your list are house modifications, medical bills, insurance, and technology. After a budget has been established, it's time to start organizing a plan of action to make aging in place as comfortable and convenient as possible for your loved one.

Joseph Styles is a researcher and blogger with experience writing on multiple topics including Home Health Care, and more. He is currently writing for Home Care Summit .