Senior Villages: A New Way to Age in Place

Posted in Assisted Living, Assisted Living Facilities, Elder Care, Elderly Care at 1:09 pm by admin

The elderly care world continues to expand and evolve to meet seniors exactly where they are at. Gone are the days of “one size fits all” elderly care where one company determines what type of care all its residents will have. Seniors have different needs and different preferences. And one preference remains constant in a majority of seniors year after year: they want to stay at home if they can possibly help it.

Aside from those with chronic and serious medical issues, many seniors are able to stay at home, from a physical standpoint. What they need is some daily assistance. Many can’t get groceries, or can’t do housework. And many need daily help or reminders with taking medicines–things that can be accomplished with a visit from a nurse. These seniors often end up selling their house and moving into an assisted living facility because they see no other way. Assisted living can meet those needs and can put them in an environment where they can actually be part of a community.
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But there is a new, cutting edge idea that is spreading throughout the senior care community that could actually allow seniors in this position to stay home while having those needs met. Some call it “virtual senior communities,” others call them “senior villages,” but the idea is the same. What if groups of seniors who lived near one another could stay in their homes but form a sort of club? What if they figured out the types of resources that could meet their needs, and decided to hire people who could help meet all of those: home health care givers who could make rounds to their different houses every day; people to go buy and deliver groceries to their homes; drivers who could be on call to take the members to various appointments? And what if these seniors, living in the comfort of their own homes, organized social activities with one another in the process?

Here is one example in the Boston area. It is called Beacon Hill Village, and they offer services to seniors who live in their own homes. The communities who are experimenting with this idea have found good success. The “senior village” is able to accomplish much of what a retirement home or assisted living community would. Home health care is becoming increasingly flexible as senior franchises are spreading all over the country. That flexibility is opening up doors for this idea to be possible. As senior volunteer groups continue to pop up, and caregiving companies expand, it gets easier. And the social gathering part is the easiest of all.

Besides the obvious benefit of staying at home, there is another huge plus in this idea: the costs. It is far cheaper to be a part of one of these communities than to live full time in an assisted living home.

So can “senior villages” work anywhere? Probably not. Many seniors are just not capable of accomplishing the activities for daily living (getting out of bed, washing their bodies, changing their clothes, etc.) that are required for independence, and a once-a-day visit from a nurse or caregiver just will not be enough. But for those who can swing it, the idea will take off, especially in neighborhoods where there enough seniors to make the idea happen. However, the onus is going to be on seniors themselves to organize these communities. There is no company that comes in and does this, and that is exactly the point. So if a senior is willing to take leadership in the idea and get it going, it can meet the needs of many others in the community. I don’t expect these communities to take the place of assisted living any time soon, but now that the door is open, people will walk through it.

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Creating Independence With 'Age in Place' Products

Have you given thought about what types of needs you will have as you age? Do you plan on staying in your own home, often referred to as aging in place, or do you plan on living the good life in a senior living complex? Many people want to keep their independence for as long as possible. This gets trickier if you live in a home with any type of obstacle. Age in place remodeling helps conquer many of those problems that creep up on us as our bodies start to not respond the way they did in the past. We will look into several items that will help you or your loved ones age in place helping to keep independence in the lives of loved ones as long as possible.

First, a huge obstacle many older people or people with knee issues face, getting up and down the stairs. Many homes have basements nowadays. Washers and dryers are often kept on this level. I know in my Uncles case he has both his wood working area and his hunting workshop set up in the basement. It is important to still access these areas even if our knees and hips don't allow for it anymore. Stair lifts have been invented for this purpose. A lift is practical and can be installed on any type of stairs. Search out a local contractor in your area that is licensed and works with companies to meet the physical challenges of their clients.

Next people are often concerned with ease of access into and out of the home. It is becoming very common to install ramps for handicapped access. Handicap ramps can really help seniors who wish to age in place by eliminating the strain that stairs often bring getting in and out of the home. Ramps can be made to blend naturally into the design of the home and can often be made for temporary or permanent use. Materials for ramps vary also. It is common to use metal or wood for ramps. Make sure when hiring an age in place remodeler to build a wheel chair ramp that you make sure they are following ADA guidelines. The Americans with Disabilities Act clearly lays out guidelines and specifications for handicap ramps.

Smaller home renovations such as bathroom grab bars, changing out door knobs for handles and tub modifications are all items to think about when preparing for those later years. As my dad aged we found it necessary to begin making the minor changes around the home for him. As he grumbled we started to rearrange things in his home to make it safer and more convenient for him to access those things he used on a daily basis. Even though he is only in his late sixties it was necessary to install grab bars in his shower and by the toilet more for convenience right now than necessity. With aging knees it is often difficult for him to raise himself up without extra support.

If you begin as you see the need arise it can make that transition of aging in place less of a strain then if all of a sudden one day the realization hits that self sufficiency is deteriorating. Age in place remodeling is a common practice these days. Even with the beautiful senior living facilities people want to stay in the comfort of their own homes for as long as possible. Aging in place doesn't just affect seniors think about the middle aged who suffer from MS or other diseases that disable one's body. A little remodeling to make the home safer and more maneuverable is all that is needed to keep individuals living the independent lives they crave.

If you have enjoyed this article on age in place remodeling from Kevin Germain at CPS visit our website http://www.glennmillerthehomedoctor.com/ today where you will find useful information on our age in place remodeling.