Happy New Year!
A new year, a great time to think about where we are and where we are going. Most seniors’ goal is to stay healthy and happy at home. How are you going to reach that goal? As Lewis Carrol said, if you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there. Instead of a New Year’s resolution, think about designing your aging plan so staying independent and at home happens in the least stressful manner possible.
Starting An “Aging Plan”
When designing your plan there are many variables to consider, so we will tackle just one aspect, home care. Too often I have talked with seniors who insisted they did not need help. Fiercely independent, they put off help of any kind. In the end, this resistance caused accidents, falls, or worse and the senior bypassed home care and ended up directly going to a skilled nursing facility. Sometimes we need to be honest with ourselves and identify what we can and can’t do. Or what tires us out. Or what we just don’t want to do anymore!
Thinking About Homecare
Jumping into homecare can be a little overwhelming, so start with a little at a time. Often, seniors start by hiring a cleaning person. The next step may to be an assessment of the house to make sure it is senior friendly: clear pathways (no tripping hazards), taller commodes, and grab bars in the bathrooms. Look at furniture that no longer fits your lifestyle. Rolling kitchen chairs? Get rid of them! After this, consider having a helper in once a week to help with things that tire you out. Groceries, errands, organizing paperwork, or helping with some laundry. Build a relationship with a home care company that you know you can depend on and trust. At Seniors Helping Seniors we walk along the road with our seniors, guiding our clients to get the help they need so they can stay happy, health, and at home.
