What Does Aging in Place or Aging at Home Mean?
By Jeremy Grant
Guidance from the Caring Team at Home Instead
It’s mid-morning, and you receive a phone call from your sister. She stopped by your mother’s apartment to visit and found her collapsed on the floor. Your mom got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and blacked out. When she awoke, she didn’t have the strength to get up. Therefore, she sat on the cold floor for hours until your sister arrived. What do you do now? Situations like this may make you think Mom needs to go to an assisted living community. Yet, you know she is capable of taking care of herself, and besides, you know she would never willingly leave her home.
Most seniors prefer to age in place or age at home. Understanding what that means and what to expect goes a long way in ensuring that Mom can live in her beloved home for as long as possible. With help from Home Instead in Richmond Hill & Vaughan, it is possible to provide senior care at home so that you and your mother can rest easier knowing she is well cared for. We tailor our services around your mother’s needs with options for household duties, meal preparation, personal care, and companionship.
Understanding Aging in Place – What It Means for Your Family
The term “aging in place or aging at home” refers to one’s ability to live in one’s home independently for as long as possible. That seems pretty simple, and it can be when you understand what it means for your family:
- You may have to make some home modifications for her. Mom will continue to slow down. She may even shuffle when she walks. There may be fall hazards to look for. These can be accommodated by adding grasp bars in the bathroom, installing a walk-in bathtub, removing loose throw rugs, and ramps for entry and exit to the home.
- Your time will be stretched thin at times. There will be times when Mom will need you. You will have to check in on her or call her frequently, even daily. Your evenings may be filled with quick stops to the store for her. You may also have to cook for her and take her to appointments.
- You will want to take advantage of the services of others. At times, you will need support, either from friends and family or from a personal support worker. A professional caregiver can step in to assist Mom in a variety of areas so that she can remain at home safely, and you can take care of other duties.
Let Mom Age in Place – Home Instead Makes It Possible
Give Mom the dignity of living at home independently with a little help from the dedicated staff at Home Instead, Richmond Hill & Vaughan. Our highly-trained caregivers understand the desire to remain familiar surroundings with the right amount of support. Please talk with us about a custom-designed service plan that fits you and your senior’s needs.