The month of May is celebrated across the United States as Older Americans Month. It is a time to celebrate the strengths and contributions of older adults as well as shine a light on the issues that affect them.
There is no question that where we live plays a major role in our health, but living in a home of our choice can be a huge contributor to a person’s happiness.
According to a recent MARC publication, “Multiple studies show that most older adults prefer to remain in their homes where close family and community relations can be maintained, contributing to an individual’s sense of place and helping to maintain community cohesiveness, neighborhood permanence as well as individual mental and physical health.”1
The concept of staying in your home as you get older is known in the aging field as aging in place.
The notion of remaining in our homes as long as we wish seems like something we hardly even need to think about; however, many factors like assets and health have the power to impact whether we are able to make that choice later in life.
According to the Administration on Community Living, “Someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and supports in their remaining years.”2
Since none of us can predict the future, itt is important to plan ahead and have conversations with those close to you so you can age in place if that is what you see when you envision your life down the road. If you are able to stay in your own home with support from people that care about you,
The good news is that preparing for aging in place now, even despite having to make improvements and even remodel your home, means that you may be able to save money in the long run. As long as your home is meeting your needs and you have the support you require, you can avoid expensive facility placement.
Since most homes that have already been built were not done so with people who may have mobility or sensory issues in mind, we can outfit our homes for future needs using the concept of universal design.
Universal design looks at making spaces accessible for people of all abilities. When spaces are universally designed, they meet everyone’s needs. If you’d like to learn more about universal design, you can check out this informative PDF from the Mid-America Regional Council, Remodeling for Accessible Homes. We were happy to submit photos to contribute to this resource
If you’re ready to take the next step in making your home “aging in place” friendly, book a free consultation with Accessibility Remodeling. Our CAPS and Accessibility Consultants will support you to identify solutions that will help you live well in your home for a long time to come.
In our next post, we will share simple changes and low-cost solutions that can help seniors age in place in 2022.
- Remodeling For Accessible Homes. Mid-America Regional Council. 2017. https://www.marc.org/Community/Aging/PDFs/Remod_For_Access_Homes_2021-04-20_FINAL.aspx
- How Much Care Will You Need? LongTermCare.Gov. 2020. https://acl.gov/ltc/basic-needs/how-much-care-will-you-need