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Medical experts cite the following benefits
of aging at home:
· Home atmosphere provides
emotional comfort
· The home provides a social center for family and
friends
· Home ownership is a source of pride
· Having to care for a home provides purpose
· Protection from institutionally acquired illnesses
· Greater control over exposure to pathogens
· Prevention of relocation stress
· Increased self-esteem
It just makes sense for some seniors to stay at home because
of the myriad of great services they can receive from the
comfort of their own living rooms. Below we look at the
different types of services provided:
Safety Assessment
Mitigating home hazards as well as making
the home more senior friendly is a major factor for seniors
who wish to stay home. Personnel who work at senior centers
can come to a home and perform a safety and home modification
assessment. They are professionally trained to spot common
hazards and make recommendations on how to eliminate those
hazards. They can also provide suggestions on how to make
to modify the home and make routine tasks more convenient.
The most common modifications include:
· No step entry way
· Increased space in bathroom, kitchen, living area
for wheelchair or walker
· Non-slip flooring
· Grab bars for tub, toilet, and bed
· Scald proof sinks in kitchen and bathroom
Personal Care
Personal care includes bathing, getting
dressed, and medication reminders. Personal care workers
help clients meet their personal basic needs.
Household Chores
Many seniors are more than able to live
at home but need just a little help keeping up with household
duties such as yard work, grocery shopping, bill paying,
cleaning, and laundry. This type of non-medical care can
make all the difference between a senior being able to stay
at home or having to move to a home.
Transportation
In a recent poll seniors cited transportation
as one of the biggest problems. Most seniors cannot afford
to take a taxi and do not feel comfortable using city buses.
Senior centers that provide transportation services to their
residents can also provide transportation services for aging
in place clients.
Geriatric care managers
These are highly trained professionals who
work with seniors to develop long term health care and life
plans. They often have backgrounds in social work, nursing,
and senior care. One of their biggest functions is to refer
seniors to the right people or agencies that can successfully
meet their needs. Geriatric care managers are sometimes
referred to as senior care managers.
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