One Senior Place: Want to age in place? Here are some things you should consider
Q: My parents live in a 55+ community. Can they stay home as they age?
A: Year after year, surveys by AARP indicate the overwhelming majority of retirees would prefer to stay at home and "age in place."
What the respondents don't take into account are the limitations likely to affect their physical abilities as they age.
Luckily, in-home care is widely available, whether the residence is a free-standing house, inside a 55+ independent living community or even an assisted living facility.
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Talk to a care manager
There are numerous local resources that allow you to stay wherever you call home.
A smart first step would be a consultation with a local aging expert or certified care manager.
Care managers listen and learn about an individual's needs (taking into account medical issues) before connecting them with the tailored resources needed for them to live at home as independently as possible.
Community Resources
Some of the resources that allow aging adults to stay at home include home health care companies that can provide skilled nursing care and therapy in the home.
Private duty care can assist with activities for daily living (such as bathing and dressing), transportation, companionship, meal prep and help with schedules and calendar management.
Then there are local agencies that can provide hot meals for home delivery and even private chefs that create a week's worth of nutritious meals at your home.
Local laboratories, mobile X-ray units and pharmacies offer in-home service for those unable to leave their home.
Certain primary care providers also make "house calls."
And when the time comes, hospice and palliative care companies provide end-of-life comfort care in the home.
Technology
Personal living alert devices provide genuine peace of mind for adult children of aging parents living alone.
With technology booming, there are more ways than ever for our aging loved ones to safely age in place and get the care they need.
Electronic medication boxes with alarms can ensure that medications are taken at the appropriate time, GPS location devices can monitor location and many other safety devices can help aging adults live independently for as long as they are able.
Companion and social robots for the elderly are no longer science fiction. They are here, thanks to advances in artificial intelligence and robotics.
For a list of local resources to allow your loved one to age in place, visit The Experts in Aging in Viera or Altamonte Springs, or call One Senior Place at 321-751-6771.
One Senior Place is a marketplace for resources and provider of information, advice, care and on-site services for seniors and their families. Questions for this column are answered by professionals in nursing, social work, care management and in-home care. Send questions to askOSP@OneSeniorPlace.com, call 321-751-6771 or visit One Senior Place, The Experts in Aging.
Lisa Conway is a Registered Nurse, Certified Dementia Practitioner and a Certified Care Manager for Senior Partner Care Services, Viera. Ms. Conway hosts a monthly seminar, 'Senior Health Friday with Nurse Lisa.'
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Aging at home is becoming more accessible than ever before
