In-Home Care and Safety Modification Tips

March 6, 2019
| Vitality Living

When it comes to healthy aging, quite honestly, there’s a lot to do. You’re supposed to make sure to keep your body active and your brain engaged all while maintaining your social connections as well. Sure, the benefits to your overall well-being are worth the effort, but retirement is supposed to be a time with less responsibility on your plate, right? Well, it turns out that in senior living you can have your cake and eat it too, so to speak. Here’s how programs like our Vivid Life make keeping active, engaged, and connected easy and fun!

Benefits of Healthy Aging

Good things happen when you focus on healthy aging. In addition to feeling better overall, which in and of itself is a win, other benefits of keeping active, engaged, and connected include:

Improved ability to do everyday things
Reduced impact of illness and chronic disease
Enhanced mobility, flexibility, and balance
Improved sleep
Increased energy level
Reduced feelings of depression and stress
Increased feelings of happiness and self-confidence
Reduced risk of cognitive decline
Increased mental adaptability and cognitive reserve
Improved memory recall and problem-solving skills
Improved concentration and attention to detail

How Senior Living Can Help

At home, particularly when living alone, it can be hard to stay as active, engaged, and connected as you’d like. From lack of opportunity to lack of motivation to lack of transportation to mobility challenges, and more, it’s tough, we get it! That’s why we created the Vivid Life program in our senior living communities. It’s composed of three parts: Vibrant Body, Vibrant Brain, and Vibrant Connections. Here’s what each entails:

Vibrant Body – We offer amenities such as a state-of-the-art fitness center, a pool, walking trails, gardening opportunities, and even a dog park to help you stay active. A sample of activities includes:

Walking club – Daily walks at different outdoor locations using pedometers to measure steps.
Yoga – At least once per week for gentle yoga, and once per week for mindful breathing.
Fitness classes – At least two times per week using a variety of hand weights, resistance bands, and circuit-type exercises.
Tai Chi – At least once per week with a live instructor.
Non-traditional exercise – Dancing, gardening, etc. at least two times per week.
Physical games and sports – Golf, putting, bowling, croquet, bocce, and ping pong available daily with organized events one to two times per week.

Vibrant Brain – We offer monthly calendars filled with classes, events, creative arts, and enrichment opportunities to help keep you engaged. A sample of activities includes:

Visiting lecture series – Twice per month with topics such as cultural, historical, local interest, career-oriented, etc.
Creative art series – At least one per week with a theme that runs 3-6 weeks, such as poetry writing, storytelling, painting, digital photography, etc.
Learning series – At least three times per month with an emphasis on learning something new such as foreign language, sign language, technology, hobbies, etc.
Games – At least one time per week and may include poker, bridge, Scrabble, etc.
Mindfulness – A meditation class once per week and gratitude discussion group twice monthly.
Church service – At least once a week through visits by local churches.
Stress reduction – At least once per month class that offers deep breathing exercises, nature walks, music appreciation, spa-type treatments, etc.

Vibrant Connections – We offer resident-led clubs, social events, outings and volunteer opportunities for any interest to help you stay connected. A sample of activities includes:

Outings – At least twice per month and may include going to concerts, art shows, museum visits, theatre productions, etc.
Intergenerational programming – At least once per month and focuses on building relationships between young adults/children and residents.
New resident welcome party – At least once per month to formally introduce all new residents, and includes ice breakers, social games, etc. to encourage connection.
Philanthropic program – At least once per month provide residents the opportunity to give back to the community, such as volunteering for a local food bank or pet shelter.
Resident-led clubs – May include game clubs, professional clubs, common interests, etc. that meet at least monthly.

What’s more, it’s all right outside your door (or transportation is provided offsite) and all in a supportive environment with home maintenance, housekeeping, and restaurant-style dining freeing your time to make it even easier to stay active, engaged, and connected.

Learn more about Vitality Living’s Vivid Life programs. Or find a Vitality Living community near you today to schedule a tour.

Aging in place is a phrase popular in the senior care industry, but it’s one seniors and their families don’t necessarily understand. In the simplest of terms, it refers to a senior remaining in their own home as they grow old. While it’s a solution many people say they prefer, most are unaware of just all that it entails.

From hiring in-home caregivers to modifying the home for safety, here’s what it means to age in place in your private home.

Modifying a Home to Age in Place

First, you’ll want to have a professional evaluate your loved one’s home for safety. A physical or occupational therapist can usually help with this task. They will look for potential hazards around the home that can present a risk for falls or other injuries.

Modifications that may help a senior safely age in place include:

Home alert system: Technology provides families with a wide range of options for home safety. Systems can be simple or complex, ranging from a push button necklace to sensors all around the home.
Better lighting: Vision loss can put an older adult at higher risk for a fall. If your loved one is hoping to age in place, you’ll likely want to install better lighting. Pay special attention to lighting over steps and stairs and in bathrooms.
Senior-friendly bathroom: According to the National Institute on Aging, 80% of the falls seniors experience at home occur in the bathroom. Throw rugs, slippery floors, and tubs all present a risk. At a minimum, you will want to consider modifying the bathroom to include a step-free shower and grab bars near the shower and toilet.
Accessibility: Many older adults eventually require the use of an assistive device for walking. Stairs and steps can become dangerous. Talk with a licensed home builder or a contractor familiar with senior safety issues to see what types of modifications they would recommend. While you might not need to have the work completed right away, it’s good to plan ahead.

Enlisting the Support of an In-Home Caregiver

Family caregivers often find they can’t meet all of an older loved one’s needs as they grow older. For the senior to safely age in place at home, you may need to enlist the aid of a paid caregiver. They can help with light housekeeping, meal preparation, and personal care.

Depending on where you live, you will likely spend an average of $20 per hour for these types of in-home services.

Two options for doing so are:

Hire one or two caregivers independently on your own. While less expensive, it will also take more of your time to complete the interviewing, hiring, training, payroll, and supervisory duties.
Work with a private duty home care agency. This option is typically more expensive, but the agency will do all of the work for you.

Glossary of Senior Care Terms

Are you finding the terms and phrases surrounding senior care to be more than a little confusing?

We understand.

It’s why we created Senior Glossary: Decoding Senior Care Acronyms and Lingo. You can also download our latest Staying Home vs. Moving to Senior Living Guide to help you better understand the senior care options available to your loved one.

Caregiver Support, Healthy Living

Vitality Living

Articles By Author