A study done by the New York Times resulted in 80-90% of older adults stating that they would want to remain in their own homes as long as possible. Although this is the ideal situation, it is important to notice signs of when your aging loved one are in need of assistance.
Many active seniors are capable of doing a majority of tasks for themselves. People are becoming more and more independent, it is said that by the year 2020, there will be 6.6 million people in the age bracket 85 and older. The Census Bureau researchers say that by 2050, there will be over 600,000 people over 100 years old!
People are staying healthy longer, that is for sure, but there are some things to keep an eye out for as key signs that maybe a CCRC (continuing care retirement community) is the best next step:
- Recent falls
- Slow recoveries from illness
- Difficulty with activities of daily living: dressing, bathing, and cooking
- Loss of active friendships, visits with neighbors, participation in group activities
- Days spent without leaving the house, due to inability to drive
- Are people checking in regularly with aging adult?
- Is there a safety system or alarm system?
- Mail and housework piling up?
- Is the primary caregiver getting exhausted, depressed, or becoming resentful of sacrifices made to care for loved one?
- Is older relative increasingly lonely?
Having a personal care aid come to the home can get extremely costly, and may not be the around the clock care your loved one needs. Some of the perks to a CCRC like Harbor’s Edge are the On-Site Clinic, transportation assistance, housekeeping, laundry service, maintenance service, and grocery delivery. Even though your older adult may not be in need of Assisted Living quite yet, it is still worth looking into Harbor’s Edge for the help with day to day living to keep your loved one as independent as long as possible, and allow them the opportunity to age in place.
Brody, Jane.New York Times. 2012. “Staying Independent in Old Age, With a Little Help”. Web. 24. Dec. 2012