Increased longevity and advances in modern medicine are making it possible for more seniors to age in place instead of living in nursing homes. Rather than moving to assisted living facilities, many older adults are able to spend their golden years in the comfort of home. Here’s a look at some of the many reasons aging in place is ideal for seniors.
1. Saves Money
Of all the options available to seniors who can no longer live independently, aging in place is often the least expensive. It’s more cost-effective to hire a home caregiver to help with hygiene, cooking, and cleaning tasks than to relocate to an assisted living facility or nursing home. In some cases, medical insurance will cover some or all of the costs of home care.
Although it may be challenging to find reliable, highly rated in-home care, you can turn to Home Care Assistance. Our respite and live-in caregivers are expertly trained to assist seniors with a wide array of important tasks, including cooking, bathing, light housekeeping, and exercise.
2. Boosts Memory
Aging in place can help older adults with cognitive decline boost their memory. Being surrounded by the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of home often triggers long-dormant memories. Older adults who choose to age in place also enjoy more opportunities to socialize with neighbors and friends who live nearby.
3. Promotes Independence
The more your loved one can do independently, the better. Being able to perform everyday tasks without assistance promotes mobility, flexibility, and strength, and it also fosters confidence. When your aging loved one can accomplish things on his or her own, it can boost his or her self-esteem. Even if your parent needs help with certain tasks, he or she will still maintain a sense of control over his or her life.
Living independently is important for seniors who want to maintain a high quality of life. For some, this simply means receiving help with tasks that have become more challenging to manage over time. Even when families have the best intentions, they may not have the time to provide the care their elderly loved ones need and deserve. If your loved one needs help for a few hours a day or a few days a week, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a trusted provider of respite care Amarillo seniors can depend on.
4. Enhances Safety
Moving to a new place would require your loved one to get accustomed to a whole new space with its own set of safety hazards, while living at home in a familiar environment provides a greater degree of safety. If your loved one is aging in place, there are some steps you can take to make his or her home safer, such as installing handrails in the bathroom, adding extra lighting in certain rooms, and rearranging furniture to create easy-to-navigate pathways.
5. Reduces the Risk of Infections
Living in group environments such as assisted living facilities can put aging adults at higher risk for contracting viruses and developing bacterial infections. This increased risk is due to the number of people, many of whom are ill, who come and go in these facilities on a daily basis, and they could have contagious illnesses that are dangerous for older adults. Aging in place helps seniors reduce their risk of being exposed to people with infectious diseases.
6. Boosts Socialization
Seniors can maintain current friendships and form new relationships when they age in place. They can attend various community events and volunteer with organizations where they can meet and interact with like-minded people. Older adults are more likely to be socially active when they can control their own schedules and plan activities around their preferences and skills. Having a strong social network can also prevent memory loss and enhance quality of life.
Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of home care service. Amarillo families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. To hire a professionally trained caregiver for your parent, give us a call at (806) 803-9991 today.