Many families want to see their elderly relatives live at home for as long as possible. But before you decide whether or not it is right for your elderly relative to remain at home, you need to evaluate your loved one’s individual needs with an eye on the future. Here’s a checklist of points that you should consider to help you determine if your home – or your parent’s home – is suitable for their elderly years.
Consider Personal Factors
- Are Family and Friends Nearby and Reliable? Would family and friends be able to help in an emergency? If not, isolation can lead to many problems — from depression to malnutrition, as elderly people are more prone to neglect regular meals. Help your parent avoid this by encouraging them to form new friendships or rekindle old ones.
- Personal Traits Are your parents self-sufficient and do they enjoy living alone? Consider whether they would feel very uncomfortable about someone coming into their home to offer assistance or whether they would find it less intrusive to move to an assisted living facility.
Assess Their Environment
The safety and practical comfort of a home for an aging loved one is a major concern. Here’s what to look for:
- Level Floors and Difficult Stairs. This is one of the more obvious perils for the elderly. The experts from HealthandCare.co.uk, an online provider of mobility and healthcare products, say, “Falls can be avoided with appropriate falls management… For example if the person struggles to stand safely and the first few steps of walking are a problem, a system such as a care alarm can help to alert you if a fall happens. If they are able to stand safely but experience difficulty after a short period of walking, a rollator or zimmer-frame will help them maintain independence whilst giving them support.”
- Lighting. Easily overlooked, adequate lighting is a very important factor.
- Doors and Doorways. Thresholds that aren’t flush to the floor, glass sliding doors that may be overlooked, and doorways too narrow to navigate in a wheelchair can all be hazards.
- Flooring. Slippery floors or area rugs can cause trips and falls.
- Bathrooms. Showers and bathtubs that require the elderly to lift their leg to enter or exit can be dangerous. Glass shower doors, toilet heights and slippery flooring are also concerns.
- Access. A long walk, hills or steps to enter the home can quickly become a problem as a person ages.
- Kitchen. Examine the height of kitchen counters, draws and cupboards for accessibility from a wheelchair or walker.
- Clutter. Excessive clutter can be a safety, fire and hygiene hazard. Also look for things like loose wires, an abundance of breakable knick-knacks and closely spaced furniture.
- Maintenance. Older homes often require a lot of maintenance. Consider whether you will need to hire a housekeeper or other outside help.
Know the Neighbours
Next to personal considerations and the home itself, the actual community is almost equally as important to helping the elderly to age at home. For instance, a sleepy village that is fine with use of a car might present real challenges for an elderly relative who can no longer drive. Here are a few points to take into account:
- Access to Resources. As much as possible, the essentials, for both today and tomorrow, should be readily accessible. See if these options are available nearby:
- Community centre with elderly meet-ups
- The GP, local hospital and possibly a respite care centre
- Supermarket or corner shop
- Nearby bus stop or train station
- Safety of the Surroundings. Sadly, some communities may change greatly over a lifetime, and your parent’s neighbourhood may not be safe for the vulnerable. Local police and neighbours may be able to offer realistic advice about crime rates.
- The Landscape. Are there pavements and are they evenly tarmacked? Are there a lot of busy roads, without good crossings?
For many older people staying at home can be a realistic option, as long as you plan well ahead of time as a family. Read our article on talking about care for the future and present: 9 Strategies to Help a Parent Who Refuses Care. As your loved one grows older, be prepared to be flexible and understand that your options may change along with the circumstances.