Aging In Place: What Is It And How To Go About It?

There are approximately 47 million seniors in America, according to a 2017 estimate by the United States Census Bureau. The population is soon expected to double with the senior population standing at over 96 million by the year 2060.

Many from the senior population in the U.S continue to work past the age of 65 years and do not retire either because they enjoy working or because they have not saved up enough to be able to retire comfortably.

However, in many areas of the United States, senior adults are aging in place since a major portion of the younger citizens are moving out from their home towns in search of better opportunities. Aging in place has many benefits for seniors with regard to improving their quality of life and ease off access to the comforts that are important to them.

What Is Aging In Place?

Aging in place refers to when a senior makes the decision to stay in a facility or home of their choice for as long as possible. As seniors age in place, they also have access to the comforts of life that they deem important. It refers to a senior being able to live in an inhabitation that they prefer while being able to access activities and services that help them go about their daily lives without an issue.

What Are Some Misconceptions about Aging in Place

Some people tend to confuse the capacity in which aging in place betters the life of individuals. Aging in place can only address issues of how well a senior is taken care of in case of a health issue and that their social and emotional needs are addressed.

Aging in place allows for seniors to receive medical help as per their needs, while allowing them to take care of themselves and go about their routines without assistance, if they can manage it. Senior living facilities allow seniors to interact with people and socialize, as well as participate in activities for mental and physical stimulation.

When Should One Start Planning To Age In Place?

Ideally, aging in place should be done in a manner where a senior’s quality of life not only remains to the level of comfort that they are used to, but should also be geared toward improving it wherever possible.

For a senior to be able to live their golden years in comfort, it is imperative that financial plans and savings be set into motion from the early years of retirement or even well before them. Starting to save for retirement from an early time in careers can help people eventually live with the utmost comfort during their senior years.

It is important that retirement plans be thought about, planned, saved for and even revised as per the changing needs of the person in question.

Some Challenges That Come With Aging

As we age, we embark on a journey where our bodies change, and our mind does not work as actively as it once did in our youth. Whether or not a plan for aging in place is on the list for a senior person, aging can cause poor eyesight, reduced strength, a higher risk of accidents and bone-breaking due to falling, reduced ability to move around and be flexible.

Understanding the physical, emotional and mental challenges associated with aging can help a person prepare better for aging in place and understanding the capacity to which they might need assistance in the future.

What Is TheImportance Of Aging In Place?

Currently, many seniors in the U.S over the age of 65 years live with their spouses or live on their own in their homes. Many of these seniors regularly struggle with routine tasks on the daily and consequently either not do those tasks or risk themselves getting hurt. Essentially, this decreases their quality of life.

With the government’s policies on healthcare changing and the aging population in America already struggling with healthcare due to insufficient resources, aging in place remains to be the way senior Americans can protect and sustain their quality of life.

If you’re considering aging in place and would like to get in touch with an elder care consultant in Kansas City and its metropolitan area, get in touch with certified Senior Living Advisor, Ralph Caro.

Ralph Caro has been in the senior careprofession for over 35 years and is well-versed with the issues of senior aging and senior placement in Kansas.

Get in touch with Ralph Caro by calling at 816-666-7083 for a free consultation and explore assisted living, independent living and skilled nursing as well as memory care facilities in the Kansas City metropolitan area.