A lot of uncontrollable factors present themselves to us when we grow old. Our bodies become less efficient. Our minds tend to become less sharp. We can’t do the same things we used to enjoy. But one thing we can control is the environment in which we age. Aging in place has a lot of benefits. Here are a few of them.
Striving to Age in Place Allows Seniors to Keep Their Independence
A lot of seniors have to surrender their independence due to the inability to do things for themselves. They have to rely on others for help. But choosing to age in place grants them the ability to decide for themselves.
Aside from having the free will to choose where to age, seniors can also make decisions about their daily routines and activities. Seniors, like everybody else, want and need control over their own lives.
Without this control, seniors sink into a condition known as “learned helplessness,” which is as bad as it sounds. Learned helplessness is the feeling of being helpless after you attempted to assert control have been repeatedly shot down. Learned helplessness, in turn, leads to mental problems such as depression and anxiety. These problems then lead to physical ailments.
Seniors not having the freedom to choose where they’re going to spend the rest of their lives is an example of losing their independence.
Control over one’s life is vital for everyone, including seniors. Aging in place does give seniors that control. It gives them a degree of independence.
Home is Familiar, Safe, and Comfortable
The familiarity of the home is where we feel the safest and comfortable. The elderly appreciates having a room that is their own, a kitchen that no one else owns, or a bathroom no one has claims on.
For many seniors, the sentimental value of their home is a lot more important than its monetary value. Aside from the sense of ownership, the decades’ worth of memories integrated into the physical structure is hard to leave.
You might argue that seniors can build new memories they can cherish in a new house or a nursing home. But that is just scientifically false. The older we get, the less the neurons develop. It is a natural decline that limits the mind’s ability to form new and stronger memories.
The sense of familiarity can’t be replaced in a new home at old age. Seniors can only maintain familiarity with their homes by striving to age in place.
Aging in Place Slows the Deterioration of the Memory
A study published by Greater Good magazine has shown that seniors with frequent social activity reduce their cognitive decline by 70 percent. For seniors, being able to keep their current social circles is a big deal.
It’s also found that being in a familiar environment, the home, triggers and strengthens memories with emotional value. It reduces the memories’ rate of deterioration.
Aging in Place Offers More Opportunity for Social Activities
Keeping your current social network, and expanding it, has a lot of benefits on its own for seniors. The advantage of the familiarity of the home was already discussed above. Keeping the current social network is equivalent to keeping the closeness of the community.
Many studies support the fact that keeping your friends boosts your health, especially in old age. It is even found that friends become more important than family.
One of the most demanding challenges seniors face is loneliness and isolation, which they’re alone in the world. And this loneliness leads to a whole lot of medical problems.
Aging in place allows seniors to stay near their long-time friends. It even allows them to host social activities if they choose to. It leads to a whole lot of mental and physical benefits.
Moving is Stressing
A very realistic view towards moving at an old age is the stress associated with it. It’s physically and mentally challenging to move to a new house or a nursing home.
Just the chore of sorting through decades upon decades of keepsakes with sentimental value is tiring. Add to that the tasks of looking for a new house, moving, settling in, getting used to the new environment, and finding new friends. Moving will take its toll on the elderly, not to mention the financial costs of such a move.
Aging in their own homes saves seniors a lot of trouble and provides them a lot of benefits. Seniors should strive to age in place.
What If the Elderly Can’t Take Care of Themselves?
But what if your elderly parents can’t take care of themselves and their home? Do you take them to a nursing home? That is one option, sure. But then you’d make your parents miss out on the benefits of aging in place.
Some options will help seniors age in their own homes longer. Home care services specialize in assisting seniors without moving them into a nursing home. In-home elderly care includes:
-medical assistance (medication reminders, nutrition, meal preparation)
-transportation to and from doctor appointments or social activities
-light housekeeping
Senior home care also includes grooming and hygiene services, companionship, and mobility assistance. You don’t have to risk your elderly parent’s quality of life as they age. You have to look for other available options. Strive to let your parents age in place.
Are you looking for affordable yet reliable in-home elderly home care services in Orange County, California? Infinite Love Homecare is your best option! We offer a wide array of senior health care services at reasonable prices. For a free consultation, contact us at (949)-529-4130 or send us a message via our Contact Us page. For more info on the services we provide, visit our Services webpage.
References:
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/em/fall13/highlight2.html
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325355
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pere.12187
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html
https://www.aetna.com/health-guide/importance-of-friends-as-you-age.html