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Planning Ahead: Your Best Strategy for Aging in Place

Writer's picture: Arwen  RasmussenArwen Rasmussen




We’ve been in our home for many years. Its more than just where we live, it’s… Well, it’s “Home”. Where we are most comfortable, safest and happy. Where our memories were made and our family grew up.  

A health issue or accidental fall could suddenly change the ease of managing life at home. The wear and tear we all feel as we age can  make ordinary features of our homes become obstacles, harder to manage. 


Let’s focus today on why it is important to plan ahead. Next time we’ll get the nuts and bolts out and talk about specific features, projects and modifications. Before we do that, let’s recognize the value of looking forward. When we plan ahead for basic or even extensive home modifications, or added services, we proactively put our minds at ease and prepare well for our goal of staying as long as we can where we most love to be – at home.


It's hard at first to think about changes, or adding things you think “you’ll never need”. Some folks don’t want their home to “look institutionalized”. Still others don’t foresee changes really being “necessary” yet.  Our human mind resists change. We tend to think of things as steady, when truly our lives are in constant change, including the changes we face when getting older. 


Studies show that people who plan ahead are far more likely to stay in their home than people who wait for a “crisis” to trigger changes.  People who choose to wait may end up waiting too long, and if they had made changes sooner, the “crisis” may have never happened! 


Create a list of easy things and add to it by brainstorming. Simple things that make it harder to get around, slip hazards, and things that already don’t work well are the easy ones to start with.  “What if Mom lived here?” is a great way to see very clearly other things you can plan to do. Couples can do this exercise together. If single, ask a friend. Your children can be great resources when helping develop your list.

 

Teaser alert: Next month’s article provides our comprehensive list of aging in place upgrades that we’ve accumulated. Our list features common upgrades successfully used for folks aging in place. Use these ideas or research online how people successfully prepared.  Put every suggestion on your list, decide later which ones are urgent and which ones you can do later. You may delete some altogether or develop workarounds.


Finally, consider services you could add that could extend aging in place.  We’ll cover those next time too, but start with monumental tasks (yard care, household cleaning) then brainstorm through other ideas that could be added as needed. 


The goal today is to encourage you to plan NOW, before you need to. By putting together an action plan and having the means to implement your plan, you’ll be ready to age at “home” for years to come. 

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