Why Do Seniors Prefer to Age in Place?

Maintaining independence and living comfortably is more manageable for many seniors when they age in place, which is why they tend to prefer this option. Aging in place can boost their physical, mental, and emotional health for several reasons. Below are some of the main reasons your senior loved one may want to age in place and reasons you should consider following their wishes.

Familiarity

Merely being in the house they grew up in or lived in for decades allows your loved one to use their memory and recall the loving times. Familiarity is something most seniors miss the most when they move into nursing home facilities. The familiar smell of the home or access to the same rooms and activities can provide a positive feeling that boosts their mental and emotional health.

Aging in place can present a few challenges for seniors living with memory loss. However, they can still live independently at home with the help of professional memory care. Families can rely on Corio by Institute on Aging (IOA) to provide their elderly loved ones with mental and social stimulation, timely medication reminders, assistance with meal prep, and much more. Our caregivers are available around the clock to help your loved one live a happier and healthier life.

Independence

Your loved one will be responsible for cooking meals—if they can do so independently—along with cleaning the home, bathing, doing laundry, and other daily tasks. As a result, your loved one’s brain stays active and their physical health gets a boost instead of relying on others to take on these responsibilities.

As a family caregiver, you should continuously monitor your loved one’s health to ensure they can take on specific tasks alone. If not, you need to step in and offer assistance, but do so respectfully so it doesn’t affect your loved one’s confidence and allows for as much independence as is safely possible.

For many families, hourly home care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Corio by IOA, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.

Saving Money

Unlike at most senior care facilities, your loved one will only need to pay for the services they need and use when aging in place. For example, suppose your loved one can stay at home alone and only requires assistance from others periodically. In this case, your loved one isn’t incurring any fees, as opposed to the extra expenses they could be responsible for when staying in a retirement facility. Most nursing home facilities have around-the-clock care, and your loved one would typically be responsible for paying for those expenses, even if they didn’t need them.

Healthier Living Environment

There are a variety of individuals who live in retirement facilities, and they often have family members and friends who visit regularly. Other individuals are inside the building as well, such as nurses, doctors, staff members, and people from different companies delivering products. As a result, germs will be more prevalent and spread faster, putting your loved one at higher risk for getting sick.

Recovering from illnesses is often easier for seniors who age in place than those who are in medical facilities. This is due to the comfort of their homes and familiar surroundings. Your loved one may prefer recuperating at home and having privacy instead of worrying about others watching their every move and commenting when they make mistakes or take longer to do specific tasks.

Many seniors prefer aging in place over moving to assisted living facilities. If your senior loved one needs assistance to remain safe and comfortable while living at home, reach out to Corio by IOA, a leading home care San Francisco agency. Our dedicated in-home caregivers can assist with meal prep, bathing and grooming, exercise, medication reminders, and many other important tasks. Reach out to one of our Connect Specialists today at (415) 750-4111 to learn more about our high-quality home care services.