By Cheryl Field, MSN, RN
Aging in place is a goal for many seniors who want to maintain their independence and stay in familiar surroundings of their own home. This column will help you create a plan to thrive in your own home. This requires intentional actions to ensure safety, health, and social engagement. Here are ten tips to consider.
1. Create a Safe Living Environment
I teach a course on emergency preparedness for adults and its surprising how many adults favor stubbornness over safety. If you want to avoid an unnecessary trip to the hospital, think about safety first. Start by making modifications to your home to prevent falls and accidents. Install grab bars, handrails, remove tripping hazards like loose rugs. I know we all love our decorative throw rugs, but they break hips every year! If you live in a snowy climate, improve your winer footwear, avoid snow and ice for a day after the storm, hire help for the heavy snow removal. Get your steps inside the grocery store or mall. Invest in voice activated systems for calling for help should you have any change in health and need emergency medical care. Do this BEFORE you think you need it!
2. Welcome Strangers into your Home
Maintaining a home can become challenging as you age. Hiring regular service providers for tasks like lawn care, cleaning, and cooking can significantly reduce your workload and stress. Ask family and friends for referrals or look online at sites like care.com. The objections are always the same- I do not want strangers in my home. Get over this mindset! Staying at home means being open to meeting new people who WILL come to your home and deliver a service. The alternative is leaving your home.
3. Prioritize Health and Wellness
Staying healthy is crucial for aging well. Schedule regular check-ups with your healthcare provider. Do not wait for that “pain” to go away. Preventing a trip to the emergency room reduces your risk of being admitted to the hospital. KEEP MOVING! Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine, whether it is a morning walk, yoga, or light exercises at home. Eat real food – skip the processed foods, you will feel better!
4. Stay Socially Engaged
Social isolation can have serious effects on your mental and physical health. I am going to be honest; you must make an effort to stay socially engaged. Now that you are not working, and aging, the list of people you know gets shorter each year. Only YOU can prevent isolation! Start a weekly social hour, game night, etc. If you can get out, go! Bowling, library groups, museums, casinos, etc. These offer movement, people watching, and some degree of mental stimulation. Others are struggling just like you, they have lost lifelong friends, and they feel alone. Go meet them, share stories, become friends.
5. Leverage Technology
Technology can be a powerful tool to reduce social isolation and stay connected with loved ones. Use video calling apps like Zoom or Skype. Explore virtual reality games that allow you to play with others from the comfort of your couch. These games can provide a fun and interactive way to stay engaged and connected. YES, you may feel uncertain and need help getting started. This is true for rotary phones, cell phones, and the AI supported technology sweeping the market today. Embrace it!
6. Plan for Transportation
As driving becomes more challenging, having a transportation plan keeps you feeling in control. Look into local transportation services for seniors, such as community shuttles, Uber, Lyft, or the next big ride-sharing program. Having access to transportation ensures you can attend events, medical appointments, and run errands without relying on others. That is the freedom we all want as we age.
7. Stimulate your Brain
Keeping your mind active is just as important as physical health. Try puzzles, trivia nights, audio books, etc. Search online for facts about cities you might want to visit. Even if that visit is only virtual. Learning new facts gives you something new to talk about with people.
8. Build a Support Network
Having a strong support network is crucial for aging in place. Stay connected with family, friends, join local senior groups or online communities. These connections bring ideas, resources, and support. SAY YES, every time someone offers to help you in some small way. Living in your home successfully means bringing services to YOU and that takes time to build up a diverse support network. Starting today!
9. Change your Money Mindset
You will spend your money on this strategic vision of living at home as long as possible. I see so many seniors unwilling to invest in their own quality of life. This is a mindset shift. Plan to spend your money on YOU! We all have different financial situations. Consider consulting a financial advisor to ensure you have a solid plan in place. Look into programs and benefits available for seniors that can help with healthcare, housing, and other expenses.
10. Embrace a Positive Mindset
A positive mindset can impact your overall well-being. Focus on the things you can do rather than what you cannot. Live each day finding joy through your five senses.
Steps to finding help at Home.
Hiring regular service providers can make a significant difference in your ability to thrive at home. Here is a plan to help you get started:
Identify Your Needs: Determine which tasks you need help with, such as lawn care, cleaning, cooking, companionship, or home maintenance.
Research Providers: Look for reputable service providers in your area. Check online reviews, ask for recommendations, and verify their credentials.
Schedule Services: Set up a regular schedule for these services. For example, have a cleaning service that comes once a week, a lawn care provider every two weeks, and a meal delivery service for daily or weekly meals.
Invest in YOU: You may need time to adjust your mindset that you are investing in a lifestyle you want as you age. Set a budget to accommodate the goal. As we age and lose abilities, we either bring them to us, or we go to alternative living situations where those services are. Both cost money! Spend your money on the lifestyle you want as you age.
Communicate Clearly: Clearly communicate your expectations and needs with the service providers. Regularly review their work to ensure it meets your standards. You are the boss!
Trust Me!
Aging in place can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience with the right planning and support. It is easier said than done. We have egos that resist help, we have a saving mindset that makes it hard to spend money. In your older years you are still learning, still adapting, and if you want to be at home as your function declines you are going to need to make CHANGES! It is never too late to make changes that will enhance your quality of life. For more free ideas and resources visit my website www.cherylfield.com, or grab a copy of my book Prepared! A Healthcare Guide for Aging Adults available everywhere you get your books.
Cheryl Field- a nurse of 35 years. Currently work in healthcare technology for a large EHR in the senior care space. She works with senior care providers (mostly Directors of nursing and clinical leaders) to build software. For the past 3 years Cheryl have been focused on AI and building responsible machine learning models into the clinical leader workflow. Before coming into healthcare technology she worked in direct care at acute and subacute rehabilitation centers in the Northeast. Cheryl have been speaking at state and national conferences in senior care for 25 years, and wrote her first solo book in 2023. She is passionate about helping nurses find their voice, lean in, grab their expertise and shout about it! Cheryl wants to amplify the voice of nurses around me! Cheryl Field is on linkedin and faceboook
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