What You Should Know About Aging in Place for Aging Parents

By Susan Myer, RN, BSN, CCRN, CDP | November 11, 2016 |

Home Care in Somerset NJ

Many older adults do not want to move to an assisted living facility or nursing home because they want to remain in their homes for as long as possible. Fortunately, they can with the help of a professional senior care provider. This caregiver comes in to the elder’s home and helps with any responsibilities they can no longer do alone. This living arrangement is known as aging in place.

The first step need to make aging in place a reality for your aging parent is to plan. The following tips will allows you to come up with a plan that will prepare your loved one and their home for a safe living arrangement.

Create a List

In order to find a caregiver that will meet your loved one’s needs, come up with a list of tasks they will need help with. This list may include:

Personal needs: Do they have trouble bathing, using the toilet, brushing their teeth, or getting dressed by themselves? Then add it to the list.
Housework: Whether the senior has mobility or mental problems, keeping up on their housework may be a daunting task for them. Cooking, cleaning, doing the laundry, grocery shopping, and yard work are a few things your loved one may need a home care provider for.
Money Management: Does the elder have problems paying their bills on time? A trustworthy family member or caregiver can take care of this responsibility for them.

Devices and Activities for the Elder

Whether the senior is unable to get around on their own or is feeling isolated, these ideas will help.

Equip the home with mobility devices. Is your loved one having problems moving around their home, putting their socks on, or getting out of a chair? A walker, cane, wheelchair, or scooter may be needed. Insurance may cover these devices, so do some research to find out what is covered.
Encourage socialization. Interacting with others is important because it will keep the elder from feeling isolated or depressed. Encourage them to join a class or club at their local senior center, church, or community center.
Safety-proof the home. There can be a number of dangers in the elder’s home that you never thought about. Do a thorough inspection of the home to ensure there is nothing they could trip on, the lighting is bright enough, and the handrails are sturdy. You may also want to consider installing grab bars in the bathroom in order to reduce their risk of falling.

With these tips, your aging parent will be ready to continue living in their home.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional home care in Somerset, NJ, please talk to the caring staff at Generations Home Health Care today. Providing Home Care in Somerset, Essex, Union, Morris and Hunterdon Counties. Call us today at (908) 290-0691 or (973) 241-4534.

Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/theres-no-place-home-growing-old

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Susan Myer, RN, BSN, CCRN, CDP

Co-Owner at Generations Home Healthcare LLC

Susan is the Co-Owner of Generations Home HealthCare and has 35 years of business experience and entrepreneurship. For the last 10 years she has been a Registered Nurse working at St. Luke’s Hospital (Bethlehem, PA) in the Neuro/Trauma Unit and as a critical care nurse at Hunterdon Medical Center. She has a B.S. from Rutgers University and a BSN from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA.Susan is currently in the process of obtaining her Master’s in Gerontology. Susan is married, has 2 children and 2 grandchildren.

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