If you, like most people, want to stay in your home and maintain independence for as long as you can, it pays to think ahead. Planning for what you might need to age in place is the best way to maintain the quality of life you want for yourself. You wouldn’t set out on a trip without making a plan; don’t enter your aging journey without one either.
It will help to write down your plan – start a list. You can breakdown your aging care needs into three categories – home environment, personal care needs, and health care needs.
Your home environment is critical to your future health and safety. The majority of falls happen at home, so addressing trip hazards and installing accessibility modifications now can ensure that they are in place when you need them. Install that grab bar BEFORE you need to grab it! If you have stairs, think about what you will need to do if you can no longer maneuver stairs safely. Most falls happen in the bathroom – if you don’t have a walk-in shower, consider a tub-to-shower conversion now. A benefit to taking care of these home modifications ahead of time is that you can plan the expense.
With regard to your personal needs, think about the support system you expect to have. Consider needs such as meal preparation, personal hygiene, shopping, and transportation. Start having conversations with family and friends who are, or will become, caregivers—they will appreciate thinking about this ahead of time too. Research to learn what resources exist in your community.
In-home healthcare is the hardest to plan for because you don’t know what your needs will be as you age. People tend to panic and think that they need a nursing facility because they have serious health support needs, but this can be a costly choice both in terms of quality of life and finances. The cost of a nursing facility far exceeds the cost of home care. According to Caring.com, on average the monthly cost of a nursing facility in Michigan is nearly twice the cost of in-home healthcare.
Planning ahead will pay off when it comes to making your plan for aging in place, so get your pen and paper out and start mapping your aging journey now! Milestone Senior Services has a wide range of programming to assist older adults in remaining at home with the level of independence they are comfortable with. To learn more about our services, call 269-382-0515 . Discover Milestone. We’re here to help.
