Aging At Home: Where Seniors Still Want to Live
Like many American's, my parents prefer to remain in their own home for as long as it is possible and that has proven to be a bit of challenge at times. However, we have found that there are solutions to almost any problem out there. Turns out my parents are not alone in this thinking.
"Despite the allure of senior communities that offer a surfeit of amenities, such as pools, gyms, coffee bars, and cooking classes, most older adults—76 percent of Americans age 50 and older—want to remain in a home throughout their golden years, according to an AARP survey.
Often, when older adults do move, it’s for reasons other than the desire to live in a 55-plus community, such as high real estate taxes, ongoing maintenance tasks and costs, the absence of an accessible first-floor bedroom and bathroom, or a neighborhood that makes them too dependent on cars to get around."
While there are challenges that can arise with aging at home, the benefits on quality of life often out way those challenges. So where should you start looking to make your home a safe place to live? "A huge number of aging-in-place tools are available for homeowners. Senior specialist Lisa Cini cites these seven categories as a good place to begin:
Lighting. The Battery-Powered Motion-Sensing LED Stick-Anywhere Nightlight can be used in stairways, bathrooms, closets, kitchens, and hallways.
Clocks. The Dementia Day Cycle Clock displays the day of the week and whether it’s morning, afternoon, evening, or night to help with memory issues.
Pill dispenser. The Med-Q Automatic Pill Dispenser flashes the corresponding day’s slot with a bright red light and sounds an alarm that increases in volume until the individual takes the pills at the scheduled time.
Radio. The One Button Dementia Radio allows a person to turn the radio on and off without confusing buttons and dials.
Wanderer alert. With certain types of dementia, a homeowner may wander from a room or even out the front door. The Wander Alarm Security Alert chimes or vibrates to let a caregiver know that a door or window has been opened.
Fire prevention. The iGuardStove and FireAvert are automatic stove shut-off devices to prevent a flame or pan from being left unattended and starting a fire.
Easy-to-care-for pets. Pets provide unconditional love but require care, and many aging homeowners don’t have the ability to feed, walk, groom, and cater to them. Joy for All companion pets are animatronic animals that respond to hugging, petting, and motion, and even purr to provide companionship.
Robotic technology. In Ireland, the robot Mylo helps to alleviate stress and worry for those who live alone. It can sense a fall or cardiac event, check heart rates, initiate an emergency response, and speak slower for those who have a hard time hearing or comprehending. It is now being tested in the U.S."
The joy my parents have and the way in which it has extended their life span has been worth all the effort to make them comfortable at home. And, of course, if our office can help you in finding a home with main floor living please feel free to give us a call!
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(Source: Realtor Magazine)