Jonas became a widower a couple of years ago. Before his wife died, they lived in their Springfield home for 40 years. Jonas considered downsizing, but decided to stay for as long as possible. There are too many memories there to just pick up and leave. To Jonas, no other place will ever feel like home.
In another situation, Linda quit work to take care of her husband, Charles, in their Fredericksburg home. His dementia seems to be getting worse every day and is starting to affect his mobility. When he was first diagnosed with dementia, Linda promised Charles she’d keep him at home and take care of him. Seven years later, she remembers that promise clearly, and still wants to keep him at home, but is not sure how she can manage for much longer.
Similar to Jonas and Linda and Charles and many others in their situations, one of the biggest decisions as you age is where you will age. In fact, in a recent AARP survey, 75% of adults said they wanted to remain in their homes, but only 59% thought they would be able to do so. If remaining at home is your preference, there are some steps you can take to plan ahead to make your desire to age in place more realistic. There are also reasons why aging in place may not be the best option for all of us.
How to Plan Ahead to Age in Place
Planning ahead to age in place is often difficult because you never know how your needs might change. These are some of the concerns that seniors who age in place often have when trying to plan ahead:
Accessing Helpful Services at Home
To remain at home, it is important for people to feel independent and self-sufficient. Outsourcing services may be necessary. For example, getting groceries delivered can help. Caregivers can arrange delivery of restaurant meals via DoorDash or Uber Eats, or frozen premade meals through services such as Freshly. Meals on Wheels is also an option. And of course, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods and other local grocery stores offer home delivery in most parts of the country.
For medical needs, many of the managed care Medicare insurance plans [Medicare Advantage] also allow insured individuals to order medical and nonmedical supplies, such as gloves, over-the-counter medications and adult briefs. Most drugstores also deliver.
State Area Agencies on Aging can connect older residents with in-home services such as chore assistance and meal delivery. Geriatric care managers can also be very helpful. They identify what you need help with and assist in finding appropriate services. Check out our web page Trusted Referrals of Other Senior-Serving Professionals for recommendations of people in our area who can help!
Disadvantages of Aging in Place
Next Avenue recently published an article about the disadvantages of aging in place. These are some of the points that they made for you to consider when deciding whether aging in place is the best option for you and/or your loved one(s):
If your situation, including your health and family health history, indicates you have a decent chance of needing assistance in that period, it would be a wise idea to explore other senior living options in the area where you’d like to live.
When Aging-in-Place is No Longer an Option
What happens when you or a loved one can no longer age-in-place? Nursing homes in Northern Virginia and the rest of the Washington, D.C. Metro area cost $12,000 – $14,000 per month, which can be catastrophic even for fairly wealthy families. By being proactive and helping your loves ones plan for long term care in advance with an experienced Virginia elder law attorney, Maryland elder law attorney, or DC elder law attorney, you can help make sure your loved ones always receive the care they need without worry or financial struggle. You’ll further avoid many costly legal headaches that often result when people are not prepared for incapacity or ongoing care needs. It’s never too early or too late to get started. Reach out to us to make an appointment for a consultation:
Elder Care Fairfax: 703-691-1888
Elder Care Fredericksburg: 540-479-1435
Elder Care Rockville: 301-519-8041
Elder Care DC: 202-587-2797