It’s really not a matter of when a healthcare crisis will occur in your parent’s life. It’s a matter of when. When that happens, they may well find that they home they once loved cannot ever possibly love them back. And, it fact, it has become their mortal enemy.
That happened with my father. When his medical crisis occurred, he was only allowed to go one more time to take one last look around. In his wheelchair, he could not navigate the three steps leading into the house. His wheelchair would not even fit through the doorway of the bathroom, let alone navigate the limited space within. And the washer and dryer? They were downstairs in the basement. It was time to move to assisted living.
Unless you’re proactive now, they may be the same scenario you encounter. And every day you delay is one day closer to a slip, a fall, a fracture and a life changed forever. By taking action in advance, however, you can protect their health and help them “age in place”—which is probably their greatest desire.
Once upon a time, your parents had to “child-proof” their home to make it safer for you. Now, if you’re helping to take care of a parent—whether they’re in their own home or yours—it may be time to look at making it safer for them to age-in-place.
Whether you’re working with a professional or working on your own, you can help make your their home much safer and more accessible for a wheelchair or walker. What’s more, you can help them reduce the risk of falls [Fear of Falling]—which happens to 1 in 3 older adults every year in the U.S.
You may have great experience in home remodeling and have some wonderful ideas. A home assessment by an by an occupational therapist, physical therapist, geriatric care manager or other certified aging-in-place specialist, however, can put fresh eyes on your parent’s living space to make it easier and safer for them to navigate.
AARP, in collaboration with The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), has also developed Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists (CAPS). CAPS designees are often remodelers, but designers, architects, occupational therapists (OT), and others may have this designation. They can:
To find a CAPS remodeler or design-build professional, call the NAHB at 800-368-5242 or visit nahb.org, search for "Find a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist" and look for a professional in your area with the CAPS designation. They are generally paid by the hour or receive a flat fee per visit or project.
To find an OT in your area, check with your parent’s physician, health insurance provider or local hospital. They are also generally paid a flat fee per visit and their services may be covered by health insurance.
According to the National Council on Aging statistics, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall every 11 seconds—making them the leading cause of death from injury among people 65 and older. Many of these are preventable by being more aware of such things as:
As we age, eyesight and balance become an issue. If both are impaired, you have a dangerous situation. You lessen the chances of a fall if you:
Once you have the easy fixes out of the way, you can look at actually modifying the home to make it more accessible and user-friendly. You might consider:
These are just a few of the many modification you can consider making to your parent’s home. Age In Place offers quite a few more. Have a parent with dementia? Both AARP and the Alzheimer’s Association have a number of suggestions on their websites.
While making changes to stairs, bedrooms and/or bathrooms can certainly assist your parent, they could also be too pricey for yours or your parent’s budget. Fortunately, financial assistance may be available through: