A Seniors Guide to Growing Old in Your Own Home

For many seniors entering old age, aging in place is an attractive option. Aging in place is a practice where those who are elderly live out their old age within the comfort of their own home. In some cases, that means that they will need to make some modifications to their current residences in order to age comfortably. Aging in place is an attractive option for seniors because it means that they do not have to move residences just to live comfortably in old age. For many, it also provides a sense of independence if they know that each night they will go home to their own home and not a nursing home or retirement facility. If you are nearing old age and want to know how you can live out your life in your own home, keep reading for a guide to aging in place.

Make appropriate home modifications

If you want to age in place, it is likely that you will need to make some home modifications to your current dwelling to make sure you can live through old age comfortably and to the fullest. For many elders, entering old age means they have limited mobility or need other accommodations in the house. Some key areas to modify are bathrooms, stairs, and flooring. Bathrooms will need to have handrails and other handholds installed so that you can make sure getting in and out of the tub as well as on and off the toilet is as safe as possible. 80 percent of falls among the elderly happen in the bathroom. A great way to prevent this is by having the appropriate structures in place that will help you even if you have limited mobility. Another thing to consider modifying is any staircase in your home. You may want to install a stairlift or move onto the first floor entirely so that all areas of your home are accessible to you. The final things to modify are the floors throughout your house. You should make sure all your floors are level and limit the amount of slick flooring you have in the house. This will limit the number of falls that could happen while you are living and moving around in your home.

Simplify your life

You may want to also consider downsizing your belongings and simplifying your life in general. You do not have to be Marie Kondo to free up space, you can easily decide to move some of your belongings to a storage unit. Selfstoragefinders.com can help you locate a self-storage facility near you. Through the site, you can find and compare self-storage options so that you can choose the best one for you. Storage units come in a variety of sizes and price ranges, which means you are sure to find one that is catered to your needs. Make sure you call on some help through friends and family to fill up your unit. Or, if you do not have a network in your area, you can call a moving agency to move larger boxes or items of furniture to your unit. By not having all your belongings crowding your house, you can limit the amount of fuss in your everyday life, which is great if you are working through other ailments or ability issues in your old age.

Have a plan if something goes wrong

The final tip for growing old in your own home is to make sure you have a plan if something goes wrong with your health. Make sure you have a system in place to call someone if you fall or have a health episode. Even if you do not have family nearby, it is important to have a contact who is familiar with you and any health challenges you may have, such as a knowledge of Alzheimer's stages you are battling with or certain diseases you have for which you require treatment or medication.

A freelance writer with a BA in English from Sarah Lawrence College.