There is a line from the movie Mamma Mia that’s been playing over and over in my head as I think about helping a loved one to age in place comfortably: ‘May you live long enough to learn the secrets of living may you have as many tomorrows as you have confidence in the friendships you’ve made along the way.’ Helping a loved one age in place means creating a safe, supportive home that lets them live comfortably with their limitations while still enjoying life. This guide will discuss how to make a home safe and comfortable for an aging loved one, including making practical changes to a home’s structure and layout, helping an aging person to feel emotionally supported and engaged with life, and finding ways to make life as safe as possible without making it restrictive.
Understanding the Needs of Aging Loved Ones
And while every aging process is unique, we all experience such things as reduced mobility, sensory (eg, vision and hearing) loss, and cognitive changes. Your understanding of these needs should dictate not only the type of home modifications and supports you build but also the extent and intimacy of your involvement.
Safety Modifications for the Home
Eliminate Fall Hazards
Clear the floor: If there are loose cables, small tables or chairs, or other items on the floor, remove them, as they might trip people up.
Tack down rugs and mats that tend to slip. Use no-slip backing or adhesive strips; remove the rugs or mats if they cannot be held in place.
Install Grab Bars and Handrails: Install grab bars in the bathroom on both sides of the toilet and in the shower or bathtub area. Handrails should be installed on both sides of staircases.
Improve Lighting
Illuminate the Key Areas: Have the maximum illumination in all parts of the house, especially hallways, stairs, or entryways, and illuminate them with bright LEDs.
Motion-Sensor Lights: Put motion sensors on lights near areas where you routinely move around to eliminate having to turn lights on and off, especially in the dark.
Ensure Accessibility
Widen Doorways: If possible, widen doorways to accommodate mobility aids like walkers or wheelchairs.
Lever Handles: Replace knobbed doors with lever handles that are easier to open. These are particularly useful for someone with arthritis.
Modify the Bathroom
Walk-In Showers: If you have a bathtub, convert it to a walk-in shower so you won’t have to step up and over a high tub wall to get in and out of the shower cubicle.
Shower Seats: Install a fold-down or built-in shower seat for added safety and convenience.
Riser Toilet Seats: Use a riser toilet seat or a toilet safety frame to assist in sitting down and standing up.
Upgrade the Kitchen
Adjust Counter Heights: Lower countertops or use adjustable-height ones to make them more accessible.
Pull-Out Shelves: Add pull-out shelves to cabinets to improve access to kitchen items without needing to bend.
Enhancing Comfort
Furniture and Seating
Comfortable and supportive seating: Ensure that furniture offers good support, as well as being easy to get in and out of. For example, look for chairs with higher seat heights and strong armrests.
Adjustable Furniture: Consider furniture with adjustable features to accommodate different needs.
Climate Control
Climate: This home should be comfortable, with appropriate regulation of temperature. Have heat and air conditioning when necessary. Use fans or portable heaters.
Easy Reach Controls: Place controls for the thermostat at an easy-reachable level. Consider smart thermostats for temperature management.
Emotional and Social Well-being
Make it a Forgiving Environment Make the home inviting. Familiar items that comfort without overwhelming, coupled with personal touches such as family photos, treasured possessions, favorite colors, and textures can all be used to make a place feel like home.
Prompt Social Interaction: Try to arrange frequent social activities such as visits from family or friends, social groups in neighborhoods, or via electronic media.
Health and Medical Considerations
Medication Management
Medications: Use weekly pill organizers or other medication management systems to help keep track of medications. Consider automated dispensers.
Regular Check-ups: Appointments with physicians, dentists, and behaviorists should be scheduled, and, if transportation is an issue, ride-shares or transportation specialists can assist.
Emergency Preparedness
Emergency Contacts: Put up a set of emergency contacts, including family members, doctors, and local emergency services, in a prominent place.
Medical alert systems: Consider early installation of a medical alert system that includes a wearable button that could be pressed for help in an emergency.
First-Aid Supplies
Stock a First-Aid Kit: Always keep a stocked first-aid kit nearby. It should contain all the standard items: bandages, antiseptics, and even a few over-the-counter meds.
Supporting Cognitive and Emotional Health
Cognitive Stimulation
Keep busy: encourage puzzles, reading, or other crafty activities to keep the brain engaged and stimulated.
Routine and Structure: Maintain a consistent daily routine to provide stability and reduce confusion.
Emotional Support
Listen and talk: listen sensitively, and give reassurance. Check-in regularly on how they are feeling and how things are going.
Professional Support: Developing EFT with your partner is best done with the support of a therapist or warm-hearted counselor who can help you and your partner overcome emotional or mental health challenges.
Planning for the Future
Assess Needs Regularly
Ongoing Review: Review the set-up regularly to check continuing suitability – in particular, as health or mobility changes.
Financial Planning
Prepare for modifications to your home: Outline the modifications that might be needed for your home and your long-term needs, and consider the expenses associated with making them and funding ongoing care. Seek guidance or financial assistance if necessary.
Legal and Administrative Considerations
Updating Legal Documents: Make sure that wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and so forth are current.
Helping a loved one experience their later years is a holistic endeavor; it looks at the physical, emotional, and practical needs. You can create a safe, loving, and comforting home for your loved one and help them age in place with time, effort, and proactive approaches. If you make some sense modifications to the house, and provide regular health screening and emotional and medical care, you can help your loved one enjoy the fragile
but electrifying years of aging at home. Remember to assess their needs at least twice a year and alter strategies if necessary.
