The Baby Boomers account for nearly a quarter of the U.S. population, with about 76 million Americans born into this Generation. As the younger members of the generation age into their senior years, the needs of Baby Boomers shift as they adjust to navigating unique health and safety concerns during later years.
Their Golden Years signal a time of enjoying the rewards of their labor, and, yet, these later years require Baby Boomers to address the struggles they may face physically as they age. For many seniors, aging in place aids independence. However, the home must provide a safe environment for aging to be a viable option.
Gray Matters Alliance offers the products and solutions necessary to create a home environment conducive for aging in place. Find out how to create the best home design for aging in place during the Golden Years.
Table of Contents:
Benefits of Aging in Place at Home
Aging in Place Design Strategies
How to Conduct a Home Safety Assessment
Products for Aging in Place
● Explore Mobility Aids for Seniors
● Medication Dispensers Simplify Dosing
● Aid Peace of Mind with a Seizure Alert Monitor
● Elevate Comfort with Hospital Beds for Home
● Ease Mobility with a Motorized Lift Chair
● Install Outdoor Security Cameras
● The Benefits of a Smart Home Hub
Aging in Place Tips for Family Members
FAQ
Synopsis:
The majority of seniors wish to stay at home as they age. However, aging-in-place requires that seniors take into account their safety and mobility needs. Gray Matters Alliance offers a product catalog that facilitates independence, allowing seniors to spend their retirement years in the home and community they know and love.
Benefits of Aging in Place at Home
Many seniors want to age in place. An AARP study revealed that more than 75 percent of individuals 55+ preferred to age in place but noted that about one out of three individuals acknowledged modifications to their home were necessary to age in place.
While not every home is designed for seniors to age in place, specific modifications enhance safety and mobility. These modifications enable seniors to stay home and enjoy their retirement in the house they love.
Aging in place offers many benefits for seniors. For those who own their home (without a mortgage), aging in place is cost effective. While some accommodations or modifications could require an additional cost, the price of these design changes may pale compared to the costs of relocating to an assisted living community.
Choosing to age in place also provides emotional comfort and security. Seniors know the home, and they also are tied to their community. Familiarity offers happiness and perhaps even a built-in support system. Seniors who are close to their neighbors or who enjoy deeper relationships and friendships with others in their community maintain these connections when they age in place.
Aging in Place Design Strategies
Every home offers a unique layout and design. Creating an aging in place design strategy for seniors requires a thorough review and assessment of each room in the home, analyzing potential safety concerns and investigating opportunities to increase safety and mobility and facilitate independence.
Family members must explore the home's layout and features with their loved ones to guide the aging-in-place strategy. In each room, consider the following:
● Fall risks. Is the room cluttered, or does furniture interfere with mobility?
● Accessibility. Look at bed heights and the bathtub and toilet areas. Is it difficult for the individual to stand up or sit down? Think about accommodations to aid them.
● Communication and outreach. Can individuals reach out to emergency services or family members in case of a fall, heart concerns, or other medical issues?
● Health and wellness concerns. For individuals with complicated medical issues like heart problems, diabetes, epilepsy/seizure disorders, or other health complications, what safeguards are in place to monitor vital signs and overall wellness?
How to Conduct a Home Safety Assessment
A home safety assessment is a more formal and comprehensive approach to understanding the home's overall safety. Not only should family members, caregivers, and friends consider the concerns mentioned above, but safety assessments also require them to look more closely at other concerns and potentially dangerous issues in the home.
Gray Matters Alliance offers a home safety assessment to ensure that seniors age in place safely and receive the accommodations they may need. The safety assessment begins with an online questionnaire to gather basic information about the home and environment.
After individuals finish this questionnaire, the staff at Gray Matters Alliance schedule an in-home assessment. An Occupational Therapist (OT) also reviews the individual's medical history and current physical and mental needs and abilities. Staff members also conduct a formal walk-through of the home, addressing any safety concerns that could lead to accidents or injury. Gray Matters staff assesses entry points and exits and examines rooms closely to determine all safety hazards.
After the in-home walk-through, Gray Matters Alliance provides a written report detailing the assessment findings. This report also recommends equipment and accommodations to aid safety and mobility for successful aging in place.
Products for Aging in Place
Gray Matters Alliance offers a catalog of products that enhance safety and mobility, allowing seniors to age in place at the home they love. These products help seniors track their medication needs, improve mobility, and facilitate ease of communication. Gray Matters offers mobility aids, medication dispensers, seizure alert monitors, beds for the home, outdoor security cameras, and much more!
Gray Matters Alliance Systems
Gray Matters Alliance developed a unique assistive technology system to meet the unique needs of every individual. Utilizing a 19-inch touchscreen monitor or cellular-based tablet, this system offers comprehensive functionalities that facilitate safe independence. Gray Matters Alliance Systems provides texting/communication capabilities, remote monitoring, telecare and telemedicine management, and apps for games and socialization. In addition, the system serves as a smart home hub.
The system’s remote monitoring capabilities provide caregivers with peace of mind. If seniors experience a fall or an accident, the system sends an alert to relatives or adult children. Gray Matters Alliance Systems are a crucial support tool and safety device.
Explore Mobility Aids for Seniors
Mobility aids include walkers, scooters, and wheelchairs. Not all seniors require mobility aids, but these devices are designed to increase safety in the home and beyond. Gray Matters Alliance can help seniors and their families understand the best mobility aids for their needs.
Medication Dispensers Simplify Dosing
Gray Matters offers several different medication dispensers. These devices remind seniors when to take their medication (connecting to an app or mobile device with auditory alerts), and dispensers accurately dose each medication.
Aid Peace of Mind with a Seizure Alert Monitor
Seniors diagnosed with epilepsy or a seizure disorder can suffer from seizures at any time. The unpredictable nature of seizures leads to medical uncertainty and fear for both the individual and their family members. Seizure alert monitors are designed to alert medical personnel and family members when a seizure is detected. These monitors improve medical outcomes and communication.
Elevate Comfort with Hospital Beds for Home
As individuals age, getting in and out of bed becomes a struggle. Arthritis, osteoporosis, and medical issues impacting mobility leads to pain or discomfort when maneuvering in and out of bed. Hospital beds allow for the bed to be lifted or lowered, increasing access and safety. Seniors also can elevate the back of their bed to improve comfort and breathing.
Ease Mobility with a Motorized Lift Chair
Motorized lift chairs offer capabilities similar to those of hospital beds. Seniors can lower the elevation of the chair for improved accessibility, and the chair reclines to aid comfort.
Install Outdoor Security Cameras
Seniors must feel safe in their homes. Doorbell cameras and outdoor security cameras enable seniors to know who is outside. These cameras improve personal safety and aid peace of mind for seniors living alone.
The Benefits of a Smart Home Hub
Smart home hubs are ideal for seniors, and they are a popular home technology for families, too. Smart home hubs let users connect appliances, lights, or other devices to a main hub for hands-free, voice-activated control. Tell the hub to turn out the lights, brew coffee, or order dinner. Hubs create a smart home and help simplify everyday tasks.
Aging in Place Tips for Family Members
Family members may wonder if aging in place is the right choice for their parent, relative, or loved one. The majority of seniors want to age in place, but not all homes are designed to meet the safety and mobility needs of seniors. Use the home safety assessment from Gray Matters Alliance and schedule an in-home assessment to determine if aging in place is
the best choice. Gray Matters Alliance recommends products and services that aid independence, allowing seniors to enjoy their Golden Years in the homes they love. Reach out today!
FAQ
What is the best way to age in place?
Keep safety as the top priority when considering strategies for aging in place. A home safety assessment helps seniors understand any accommodations and equipment they may need to age in place at home.
What are the trends of aging in place?
Technology makes aging in place easier and safer than ever! With the rise of smart home hubs, seniors can connect appliances, lights, and other devices to a central hub that allows them to control everything they need with a simple voice command.
Is aging in place a good idea?
Aging in place is only feasible if the home can integrate accommodations and devices that facilitate safety and mobility. Not all seniors can age in place; those with dementia or more complex medical conditions may need a senior living community that offers more medical support and care.
What does aging in place look like?
Aging in place means staying at home throughout the senior years. Some seniors use devices and durable medical equipment to age in place safely. Others need few accommodations. Aging in place looks different for every senior!
Gray Matters Alliance (GMA) is committed to improving the lives of aging seniors and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through independent living technology, remote support tools, and educational resources. We collaborate closely with families and organizations to enable independent and secure living in preferred environments.
If you want to learn more about Gray Matters Alliance, you can visit our website or follow us on Facebook @graymattersalliance.
