Helping Older Adults Age in Place

Homecare Glenview IL - Helping Older Adults Age in Place

Seniors often want to continue living in their own home for as long as possible – a practice called “aging in place”. Countless memories are made in a home. It’s familiar, comfortable and can make people feel connected to their loved ones who may have grown up, moved out or passed on.  

Aging in Place Successfully 

Unfortunately, aging in one’s family home rarely works well without some sort of planning and modification along the way – exactly what will depend on your unique home, health, preferences and situation. Planning ahead and making modifications before they are needed is one of the best ways to prevent problems and set yourself up for success. 

Physical Modifications 

What health concerns are you and your partner currently facing? It’s a good idea to talk with your doctor or physical therapist regarding any recommendations. Modifications such as grab bars, ramps and adequate lighting can prevent a catastrophe before it occurs, so it’s a good idea to get them into place sooner than later. Replacing standard door knobs and faucets with lever style ones can help seniors with arthritic hands. Replacing low, cushy chairs or couches with sturdy, supportive ones can enhance independent mobility and conserve energy. You may prefer to start learning about what’s likely to help you in the future, and make gradual changes towards the overall goal. If the situation is a bit more urgent, ask your doctor about a professional home safety evaluation and take care of it all as soon as possible. 

Homecare Assistance 

Familiarize yourself early with your homecare agency. Get to know what services they can offer, and what kind of information they’ll ask from you. It’s a fairly simple process, but if you can avoid having to scramble in the midst of a crisis, you’ll thank yourself later. Some seniors opt to set up services on a limited basis earlier than they really think they need it — and then find that they love it! It turns out that they benefit more than they realize from that little bit of help around the house, the pleasant company and the peace of mind.  

Homecare services are customized from an extensive list of options, Mix and match as you see fit, tailoring each to your own, unique needs and preferences, and then set your preferred schedule. One thing people appreciate about homecare is that it's easy to talk to the agency about these details, and then they sort everything out with their trained and vetted professional aides. Homecare services may include: 

• Light housework  
• Laundry 
• Linen changes 
• Pet care 
• Meal preparation 
• Shopping and errand support - they can take the list to the store for you, or drive you there and assist you throughout the outing, and back home again 
• Transportation for appointments, activities, classes, gym, church, pleasant drives or other outings 
• Assistance with walkers, wheelchairs 
• Assistance with mobility 
• Personal assistance, such as dressing, bathing, washing hair or lotioning skin 
• Going for walks 
• Companionship 
• Activity engagement for people with dementia 
• In-home respite care to relieve family caregivers for a period of time while they rest, recoup, take care of their own health and wellness needs or other responsibilities 

Homecare services can be set up anywhere from a couple hours at a time on sporadic occasions to 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Give our homecare agency a call to find out more so that when the time comes, you’ll be ready. 

Sources: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/aging-place-growing-older-home 

If you or an aging loved one are considering Homecare Services in Glenview IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.​​

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