What Do The Words "Aging In Place" Mean To You?

Many seniors prefer to live and die in their own homes.  In fact 90% of today’s seniors live in their own homes whether it is an apartment, a condominium, townhouse, duplex or a family home.  I have read several interpretations of the words aging in place but it basically boils down to staying in your own home, although some interpretations expand that to include staying in the same community.

 

It is possible, so if the idea of spending your retirement years in an adult retirement community, living with your children or traveling in a recreational vehicle is not for you, that is okay.  It is possible to stay in your own homes but this idea or plan takes as much consideration as any other major life decision.  It would behoove you to go gain an understanding of your own physical needs and adapt your home to make it “elder friendly” long before the need arises.  It is important to understand that fall and accident prevention are huge issues if you want to remain independent and stay in your own homes.

 

For most people the idea of a care facility is a depressing thought.  The idea is not to be a “stubborn old coot” though.  Refusing to recognize and accept help is the first step in making a plan to achieve your goal.  To stay in your own home you need to be able to do most things for yourself, although having family members, friends, or paid caretakers is certainly an option if you are serious about this commitment.

 

Aging is a normal process.  Aging successfully means living a long and healthy life on your own terms.  How you act, how you think and how others see you will determine how successfully you age.

 

It is hard work to just to maintain the status quo, but if you learn to accept your disabilities and figure out how to compensate for them, you can manage.  You can be as active as you choose to be.  Modern aging studies show that it is not normal to be stiff and to have trouble walking.  It is inactivity and illness that causes these conditions not the aging process itself.  If you take care of yourself and heed the advice of your health care team you can remain physically active.

 

Strive for a balance between exercise, nutrition, rest and relaxation.  Nobody said it would be easy, but if your primary goal is to remain independent you should be able to age in place if that is your desire. You have to have a plan.  It takes as much planning to orchestrate staying in your own home as it move into a community care situation.