Aging in Place- Home Considerations
We buy our homes with permanent and solid intentions. Our lives and the life of the home intertwine over time, while important milestones are experienced for the home and the people within. When it comes time for the inhabitants to grow older, necessitating changes to the environment around them, the difficult question arises: do we stay where we are, possibly making changes to the home to make it safer for longer, or does it make more sense to move, and potentially downsize? This blog will list some considerations to help you deal with this important decision.
What changes would need to be made to my home?
The safest option of home for an aging person is usually one with the least amount of stairs, steps, and heights as possible. If you have a home with several floors and many stairs, this is something to consider when contemplating making it habitable for your aging loved ones or self. If you end up needing home modifications to make it accessible for wheelchair use, think about how much effort that could take based on the specific features of your home. You will likely have to modify the lighting in your home, so take this into consideration as well.
Who will maintain my home as I age?
If you decide to stay in your home as you age, there will potentially be a time when the maintenance of your house and property is something you have to ask for help with. Whether you are able to pay or enlist help from your friends or family, it’s important to consider the amount of maintenance that you need to currently do on your home and property. If this equation doesn’t seem to equal out, this may be a consideration in favor of moving into a condo or apartment where the maintenance is part of your payment.
How will I continue to foster and maintain community if I age in my home?
Especially as the issue of reduced mobility and the potential for isolation comes up, it’s crucial to remember that community and togetherness is a major part of our health as we age. For our mental health, having a sense of community is important- which can be more easily fostered in an apartment or assisted environment with other residents. For our physical safety, it’s deeply important that there is a way for people to check in on us, and know if something happens where we need immediate help. If you don’t have family members in your area that can live with you or check in on you as frequently as possible, it’s important to know that this will be a safety issue as you age.