How to Convince Your Family to Let You Age at Home
For various reasons, children decide to place their parents into a senior housing community or nursing home. Though some reasons for doing so are valid and necessary, other causes can be avoided. There may be a better solution than removing parents from a home they have grown comfortably familiar with.
Without weighing the pros and cons of placing their parents into a facilitated living situation, many assume it is cheaper than providing care inside their home. However, in most cases, senior citizens have paid their mortgage off. The only cost associated with their home is insurance and taxes.
If one takes the time to compare home insurance, they would see that keeping their parents inside the house could be cheaper than removing them from it.
Allowing senior citizens to live in their homes as they grow older can help them remain healthy and independent longer. Knowing how to find the right type of home insurance for these circumstances and the benefits associated with aging at home can lead to children making a more comfortable decision for their parents.
5 Benefits of Aging in Place
Seniors' Independence is Maintained in their Own Home
A common and understandable concept of old age is that it directly relates to being impaired. Though this is true in some cases, independence is a considerable possibility when you consider how resilient the body can be.
With regular movement and exercise, senior citizens can still live an everyday independent life. Of course, certain diseases come with old age, making it difficult for exercise and movement to be possible, but this is not the case for all individuals.
When one is receptive to the lifestyle changes, they will have to live an independent life. It is easier to sustain independence for a more extended period. Lack of receptiveness is a common mistake when working with people who are aging in place. Many older people don't accept not being able to do the same things they could do when they were younger.
The lack of acceptance and adaptation of older age leads to injuries, leading to the common belief that independence is unlikely with old age.
Within a living facility, people also lose the privilege of doing specific tasks for themselves. That alone could lead to impairment in the future because it diminishes the instances they are moving around.
Aging at Home is Comfortable and Relaxing
As a child growing up, your parents do whatever they can to ensure that you live a comfortable life where you do not have to want or need anything. So providing the same thing in return as your parents get older should be a goal.
Seniors who've spent years in their home have most likely grown an emotional attachment to their home because of the memories they've created. Moving them out of that home could make things very uncomfortable for them.
Aging in place allows one to live the life they worked so hard for and live in a familiar place. Adapting to a new environment with no joyous memories can be traumatic for seniors. And traumatic experiences can hinder one's mental capacity, leading to depression or even the inability to care for oneself ultimately.
An alternative to removing someone from their home is setting up in-home care and support. There are various programs available that provide driving services, meal preparation, and cleaning services within a senior's home's comfort.
Nursing Homes are Not Always Safe Living Environments
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are considered institutional care facilities, which involve many people living within and coming in and out of the facility. Plus, employees quit, and new ones are hired regularly, so each senior comes in contact with at least ten people daily.
This constant interaction with various individuals leads to viruses and infectious diseases spreading quickly within the facility. These communal environments put older people at a greater risk of becoming sick and unhealthy.
The risk of exposure to infectious diseases plus the risk of depression and anxiety from being in a new environment can make nursing homes and assisted living facilities an unsafe living environment.
Lastly, because nursing homes and assisted living facilities are housed with many different people, support animals may not be allowed within the building. So seniors can lose out on the benefits of emotional support animals they are used to receiving if they cannot bring them.
Families Save Money When Parents Age at Home
Assisted living facilities can cost thousands of dollars per month without considering transportation and medical treatment costs. In contrast, home care services tend to cost a lot less than those facilities. Even if you have insurance, it may not cover housing facilities. The cost of the facility will mostly have to come from out of pocket.Choosing home care services also gives you control over the amount you pay for certain services because you can compare options. You can ensure you are hiring someone who does not have malicious intent. The most expensive thing about keeping seniors in their homes is the added insurance coverage you may need on the house. Homes with senior citizens may need an insurance policy with extended replacement cost coverage or higher liability limits. However, there are various discounts offered to seniors, so insurance cost ends up being a non-factor.
Seniors Remain Closer to Family and Friends
Lastly, aging in place makes it easier for family and friends to visit seniors. Socializing normally with people they love is crucial for mental health, especially for senior citizens. Certain facilities have unrealistic visiting hours and limit the number of people who can visit once, making it difficult for family and friends to see them.
Most importantly, older adults are more likely to turn for help from people they trust and love. They may be more reluctant to seek help from employees within their building. Staying connected to loved ones has numerous benefits for seniors' health, and one of those benefits is remaining happy.
About the Author
Imani Francies writes and researches for the insurance comparison site, ExpertInsuranceReviews.com. She earned a bachelor of arts in Film and Media and specializes in various forms of media marketing.
About Carex Health Brands
Carex is your one-stop shop for home medical equipment and for products that assist caregivers with providing the best possible support and care for their loved ones. Carex Health Brands has been the branded leader in in-home, self-care medical products for over 35 years. Our goal is to improve the lives of our customers by bring them quality products that bring dignity back to their lives. With our three nationally distributed brands, Carex Health Brands serves national, regional and independent food, drug and mass retailers along with wholesalers, distributors and medical dealers.
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