Being a mid-twenties adult, I don’t tend to think much about where I will be living after I retire, or where my parents will be in 20 years. When you think about retirement and older age you may think of retirement or nursing homes, but do we ever really consider aging in place? Aging in place is something that I think many would benefit from but where do we even start? Homes are already hard enough to maintain as young adults so how are we expected to maintain a safe home in our 80’s? With the support of your loved ones.
Aging in place is not as scary as it seems. You may think you have to conduct all these huge home renovations, but usually, that’s not the case. If you are concerned about a loved one, simply a few home modifications are all that is needed. The first thing you’ll need to do is assess the situation. Figure out where the challenges and difficulties are. Once those are identified, you can do the research on how to mitigate these challenges. There are so many technological advances that make aging in place much easier. Here are a few easy changes to help make your home an age-friendly space:
Bathroom Aids:
o Commode/Lifted toilet seat
o Drilled in Grab bars beside toilet and in shower
o Shower seats and over-the-tub transfer bench
o Label the hot and cold taps
Home Safety Changes:
o Remove rugs, tripping hazards
o Add stair gates to avoid trips and falls
o Home cameras and door alarms
o Automatic medication dispenser
o Extra lighting to brighten up rooms
Personal Changes:
o Home telephones with images of contact and large numbers
o Automatic radios that play favourite songs
o GPS watch tracker
o Emergency help/Fall detector necklace
If you have any other questions or need more support, feel free to reach out to us.
-Raquel