According to one study, most seniors fear moving into an elderly home than they do passing away. After all, moving into a home means giving up a great deal of independence—meals are structured, leisure time is defined and there’s a curfew, among other restrictions. For this reason, many seniors wish to retire in their own homes, a preference many people call “aging in place.”
However, the elderly often have a hard time convincing their children to agree to this option, the leading reason for which are concerns about the parents’ well-being. Fortunately, there are things you can do to assuage your children’s fears about your decision to age in place:
Medical Concerns
The biggest concern your kids have is your health. Reassure them by visiting your doctor regularly and by taking your medications as prescribed.
Injuries
Slip and fall accidents are extremely common amongst seniors, but you can modify your home to prevent their occurrence. For example, you can move you master bedroom to the first floor to avoid climbing up the stairs so often, or add non-slip flooring and grab bars to slippery areas like the bathroom.
Communication
When emergencies happen, you should be able to contact your family immediately. Fortunately, there are now easy-to-use, highly readable cellphones on the market, specifically designed for seniors like yourself. What’s more, some models have built-in emergency notification services, like the SnapFon. Having this line of communication should allay their worries enough when they’re apart from you.
Seniortech LLC 