For seniors and their adult children, the family home may be a source of comfort, safety, and happy memories. So it’s easy to understand the appeal of aging in place. Still, your senior’s safety has to be your top priority. If you’re not sure whether your parent can be safe at home – let alone what you need to do to make it happen – start by asking these three questions.
There’s a lot to consider when your senior chooses to age in place. In recent blogs we’ve explored many ways you can provide safe transportation, stay on top of home safety and maintenance, and help your senior avoid loneliness.
We are often so busy worrying about the cost of a caregiver’s salary that we often neglect to consider the other costs related to having someone in your home caring for a parent or elderly relative. The expenses are minor compared with the commitment you made to paying a qualified caregiver, but they need to be considered and accounted for when calculating the total financial commitment to in-home.
Many seniors want to age in place. With so many other aspects of their lives changing – due to declining health, decreased mobility, or dementia, for example – they long for the familiarity of their homes and neighborhoods. Shopping in the same stores, visiting the same salon, or attending the same church or synagogue helps maintain a sense of normalcy during this uncertain period in their lives.
Many families don’t realize how much a loved one’s health has deteriorated until a fall sends her to the hospital. Falls are one of the most common, and most serious, health issues among seniors. And the resulting injuries can dramatically alter a senior’s quality of life.
Thank you very much to all who sponsored my fourth A Walk to Believe this month -- it was a big success in raising much-needed funding for spinal cord research and you helped recognize me as the top fundraiser once again!
Ron Gold, who founded LeanOnWe in 2015 after a tragic bicycling accident left him permanently paralyzed, became a Doctor of Humane Letters at Monmouth College's 2019 commencement.
Providing safe transportation is one of the first challenges many families encounter when a senior chooses to age in place. Even if your aging parent can prepare meals and keep up with basic household chores, he may no longer be able to drive safely.
If you care for an aging parent, you’ve probably put considerable effort into making sure her home is safe and she has appropriate medical care. You may also keep an eye on her nutrition and help her get some exercise. Of course you want to provide whatever she needs to be as healthy as possible. But have you thought about touch?
The medical, legal, and financial aspects of providing long-term care for an aging parent can be daunting. Over time, you may need to manage care costs that can easily exceed $50,000 a year, as well as make difficult medical and legal choices for your parent.
Maybe you’ve noticed that mom or dad is “starting to slip.” Or maybe they’ve had a health scare: a fall that didn’t break a hip, or flu that didn’t become pneumonia. Take a moment to breathe a sigh of relief. Then get ready to start planning for the future.
Spend a little extra time this season to show your appreciation with a thoughtful gift to thank your caregiver for all they’ve done for you or your parents or your child.