Aging in Place: Why It is So Important
Aging in Place: Why It is So Important
There are not many constants in life, but the aging of your family member definitely seems to be one of them. Baby-boomers are quickly headed towards retirement and are bringing a whole new way of life with them. Not many people are familiar with the term, “aging in place,” but to this growing population, it’s a new way of life. The opportunity for aging loved ones to stay in the comfort of their home, making appropriate adaptations as they age, seems far more desirable than having them up-root their life and move into a retirement community.
Appropriate home renovations can enhance the quality of one’s changing lifestyle, making it possible to lead both a productive and safe existence. Just recently, HomeAdvisor released its Aging in Place Survey Report, which highlights the most common home repairs that contractors are seeing with this population. The top five projects in the survey correlate to safety and functionality. A few of the adaptations include the addition of grab bars in bathrooms, ramps to the home’s entrance, widening doorways and first floor accessibility.
In addition to home renovations, another aspect of the aging in place trend is in-home care, both medical and non-medical. Medical care focuses on enhancing comfort for patients who need long-term care, and healing for those recovering from an illness, surgery or accident. Non-medical concentrates heavily on aiding with daily needs. Assisting with bathing and dressing, helping with mobility and preparing meals are primary examples of what non-medical in-home care offers.
As the baby-boomer generation continues to grow, so will the interest in the aging in place trend. Due to the numerous possibilities that this lifestyle has to offer, it’s safe to say that it’s more than a trend and will be a favorable option for upcoming generations. The decision of how to accommodate an aging family members’ lifestyle can be quite overwhelming, but knowing that the transition can be made from the comfort of their home, is exactly that, comforting.