If your elderly loved one is going to keep living in their home, then there are some considerations that you might need to think about. While you are probably concerned about their safety and well-being, considerations can help to make things better. Keep reading here to learn how to make aging in place better for your elderly loved one.
Structural Changes
If your elderly loved one is going to stay in their house, there might be some structural changes that need to be done. Some of these changes might include the following:
- Placing handrails throughout their house
- Putting in a ramp on their porch
- Installing a stair ramp if they have an upstairs and downstairs
- Moving their bedroom to the lower level of their house
- Installing a shower chair in the bathtub
Making these changes can help your elderly loved one to be safer in their home. They might still need you and caregivers to check in on them or take care of them sometimes. However, these changes can make things much better for your elderly loved one.
Accessibility
If your elderly loved one is going to stay in their home, you might also need to consider accessibility. How will your elderly loved one get the things they need? How will they get their medications or groceries? How will their bills be paid? Some of the things that you might need to do include the following:
- Hire someone to handle their finances
- Order their groceries and medications online (so they can be delivered to their home)
- Hire caregivers to drive your elderly loved one to appointments
These are just some of the things that you can do to make sure your elderly loved one has everything they need.
Emergency Situations
There might be emergencies that happen with your elderly loved one. It is a good idea to be prepared for these things. Some of the ways that you can do this include the following:
- Make a list of phone numbers (put it in an easy-to-access place for your loved one)
- Be sure someone is checking in on your elderly loved one at least every couple days (more if they need it)
- Get your elderly loved one an alert bracelet (this can notify the proper authorities if your loved one falls)
- Make sure there are smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in their home
These are just some of the ways that you can be prepared for emergencies that might occur with your elderly loved one.
Conclusion
Now that you have these tips, you can help your elderly loved one to stay safer in their home. You can also make sure that your loved one is able to get all the things that they need. Many family caregivers think their elderly loved ones need to live with someone. However, these are some ways that you can make aging in place possible for your elderly loved one.
Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/aging-place-growing-older-home
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING CAREGIVERS IN WILSON, NC, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT SENIORS HELPING SENIORS TODAY. CALL (919) 761-5346.