Aging in Place: Where Science Meets Reality
AGING IN PLACE: WHERE SCIENCE MEETS REALITY
Age Wave Study
Myth 1: My current home will be the best possible place to live in my post-retirement years because I have more independence and freedom in my own home.
Reality: A recent survey showed that nine out of 10 seniors think the best option is to stay in their current home indefinitely. Ultimately though, many find this not to be the case. Residents in continuing care retirement communities today, are free to engage—or not engage—in activities and to come and go as they please. In many cases, there is more freedom because transportation is available, and they are relieved of the burden of household maintenance.
Myth 2: My current home is the best option to continue an active social life and to stay connected with friends in the years ahead.
Reality: Remaining in your home can result in growing isolation and loneliness in later life. In fact, identifying and building new relationships with like-minded people and maintaining social connections, tends to become increasingly difficult as you age. Studies show that having low social interaction is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, excessive alcohol intake, obesity or never exercising.
Myth 3: It’s less expensive and more financially secure for me to stay in my current home.
Reality: Paying off a home is a huge accomplishment, but when you consider the costs of property taxes, insurance, utilities, yard maintenance and unexpected repairs, the prospect of moving to a senior community begins to seem far more cost effective, while offering predictable costs and greater peace of mind. This is especially true as mechanical items begin to need replacement.
Myth 4: It will be easy to arrange for at-home care if and when I need it.
Reality: Care at home can be difficult to find, costly and unpredictable, while Continuing Care Retirement Communities offer a seamless solution for unexpected care needs that can arise. Research has shown that people tend to underestimate—or be in denial of—the contingencies that can occur later in life. While close to two thirds of Americans will need some type of long-term care after the age of 65, only a third of those surveyed anticipate needing long-term care. Planning ahead ensures that you’ll be in a position to make your choices from among all available options.
Myth 5: Retirement communities are filled with old people who are sick and dying.
Reality: It is important to consider that many of our opinions were formed years and years ago, based on visits to a parent or grandparent in an old-style nursing home. Times have changed. For many, continuing care communities represent a new chapter in life with access to classes, outings, events, and other like-minded people.
Meet Jane
My mom decided at 82 years old to move into a senior living community. When she shared her decision with us, my siblings and I were very concerned. After having lost our dad a few years ago, she had recently begun having balance issues, had given up many things she previously enjoyed, and seemed depressed. Frankly, we thought our mom had basically decided to die – this was her way of saying, “I give up.”
We helped Mom with the move, sold her home, and watched to see how she would adjust to her new environment. (Which much to our surprise was more like a resort than some sort of retirement home).
Six months after she moved, I got a text message from my brother while my mom was visiting him in Florida.
It included this photo of my mom riding a bike in front of his home.
Her energy was better, she was enthusiastic about life again, and she had begun exercising and eating healthy. She says she is now living life again. With no house or yard to worry about, she can focus each day on what she enjoys most.
Staying put!
Common adaptations for aging in place
- Adult children take over lawn care or it is hired out to a service
- In-home care aids provide bathing assistance and meal preparation
- Grab bars and handrails are installed
- Remodeling to add accessibility features
- Transportation services are provided by family and friends
- Neighbors take the trash to the curb and pick up the mail
- Decision to no longer drive at night or to unfamiliar places
- Limited outings during inclement weather or heavy traffic
- Watching religious programming from home rather than going out