Photo I Courtesy of the Worcester Senior Center
Amy Waters, director of both the Worcester Senior Center and the city's Division of Elder Affairs
Updated: 14 min ago
Senior Resource Guide 2024
Aging in place: How seniors can maintain independence and promote physical and mental wellbeing while aging at home
Stock illustration | MITstudio
Seniors in the United States want to age in place. In fact, 77% of U.S. adults 50 and older prefer to stay in their homes for the long term, a percentage that has remained consistent for more than a decade, according to a 2021 survey conducted by the AARP.
Maintaining a sense of independence, staying within the homes we’ve grown attached to, and wishing to not become a burden to family are all driving forces behind the want to age in place, said Amy Waters, director of both the Worcester Senior Center and the Division of Elder Affairs within Worcester’s Department of Health and Human Services. And she’s seen firsthand the positive impact staying at home can have on seniors’ well being.
Yet, while aging in place is the ideal for many Americans, the living arrangement does not come without the need to plan and navigate a number of physical and emotional health obstacles potentially standing in the way of remaining at home.
Focus on prevention and preparation
Prevention is the name of the game when it comes to aging in place, said Beckie Nadeau, home care program operations manager at nonprofit Elder Services of Worcester Area.
Becoming more aware of potential hazards in our homes should start early; anyone can become disabled at any age, and you don’t want the time you start to make modifications to be when you’re in crisis, she said.
Photo I Courtesy of Elder Services of Worcester Area
Beckie Nadeau, home care program operations manager at nonprofit Elder Services of Worcester Area
“People need to be knowledgeable at all ages about their environment, because even at a young age, an injury can definitely cause some restrictions in how you're able to access your home environment,” said Nadeau.
An important component of preparation includes visiting your primary care physician for health evaluations, but for reasons many may not expect. The results of evaluations, including those for hearing, vision, and memory, can inform the steps you’ll take to modify your home to meet your individual needs.
Completing evaluations and consulting with your provider will help you understand the ways your physical issues can be interrelated in ways that are not necessarily readily apparent, said Nadeau. For example, your hearing and vision can affect your balance, so knowing how your health concerns can lead to potential risk factors can prove vital for aging in place.
Don’t underestimate the power of small home updates
The risk of falling is one of the biggest concerns providers have for individuals aging in place. Depending on how set in their ways people may be, they may not anticipate what could cause problems and accidents in the future, said Waters.
“If you want to maintain your independence, you can't be so proud that you refuse to put in little accommodations,” she said.
Small modifications you can make to help prevent falls in your home include:
• Ensuring you have good lighting in all areas of your home, installing nightlights and motion sensor lights;
• Installing railings and grab bars in areas including bathrooms, hallways, and bedrooms;
• Moving wiring, such as extension cords, to the room perimeters and away from open areas they can be easily tripped over;
• Removing small area rugs and/or enforcing rugs with non-slip pads underneath.
Prioritize community to help mitigate loneliness
Alongside the benefits of aging in place comes the risk of isolation, which have very real impacts on mental health and quality of life.
The 2024 University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging showed 34% of adults aged 50 to 80 reported feeling isolated from others in the past year, which can have negative effects on cognitive functioning including higher risks for dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease, according to the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging.
Photos | Courtesy of ESWA
An Elder Services of Worcester Area homemaker work with their client. Mass. has 24 aging services access points and area agencies on aging offering in-home assessments, care plan development, and home care services.
“Staying in one place and not suffering from isolation means making the effort to make new connections,” said Waters.
Senior centers are an incredibly useful resource to utilize for fostering new connections and for reconnecting with those people who we’ve lost touch with, Waters said. If an individual has lived in the same area for a long time, there could be previous classmates or friends they can rediscover at senior centers.
But for those with physical or transportation limits, digital platforms can still make connections possible.
For example, National Alliance on Mental Illness Massachusetts provides support and discussion groups for seniors, which can be accessed virtually and through phone calls. A number of organizations offer digital recovery support, such as virtual alcoholics anonymous and narcotics anonymous meetings.
For those who require a higher level of medical support, there are adult day health centers providing both medical care and socialization opportunities for seniors without having to move into a care facility.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
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