English paper #4

Dottie George

Prof. Ryterband

English 3A

13 November 2019

Aging in Place

In America, as we age, we sometimes joke about being kind to our children because they are going to select our nursing home. I’m not sure where the idea that putting our parents in someone else’s care is the best way to care for them came from, but it’s not the best idea.  “According to AARP, more than 90% of senior citizens want to remain living in their homes as long as possible” (Home Matters: Aging in Place Housing Survey par 1). That alone should motivate us to help them make it happen.

 “Aging in place means a person making a conscious decision to stay in the inhabitation of their choice for as long as they can with the comforts that are important to them” (par 1). It has been my observation that seniors who are able to age in place do better, living longer, healthier, more productive lives.

Some people argue aging in place prevents seniors from getting as good care as they would get in a nursing home. I disagree. I have visited many friends and family members in nursing homes, and I have witnessed far more neglect than care. I understand the caregivers in these facilities are often working long shifts and have many patients to care for. This is precisely why I believe one can get better care at home than in a nursing home or assisted living. A family who knows and understands the needs and limitations of an elderly family member can provide exactly what they need. Seniors can continue to eat their favorite foods, go to their favorite places, watch whatever TV shows they want.  Many of those freedoms are lost once they move into assisted living, especially if they have to share a room with someone else. 

Safety is a concern for seniors aging at home as well. Worries about them falling in the tub or in the hall where they can’t get to a phone to call for help are very real. Families worry about them falling asleep while cooking and starting a fire. Valid as these concerns are, they’re a risk at any age, and they can all be remedied with a device like Life Alert. There is technology available that can sense a fall, without the one who has fallen having to request help. Emergency response personnel can be there for your loved one in a few minutes. I have a friend, Phyllis, who told me she was on the floor for “I don’t know how long it was” in her room at an assisted living facility. When I was visiting that facility with another friend who has been falling, the facility manager told me they knock on every door every two hours to make sure the residents are okay. She also recommended having a system like Life Alert, if the resident tends to fall, “because residents can get help faster with it”, even in their caring environment. 

“Many seniors choose to live in nursing or assisted living facilities because they believe this will be safer and healthier than living at home. While true in some cases, this belief is often unfounded. Several studies have found that nursing home residents have worse health outcomes than seniors who choose to age in place, even if seniors are in similar health.” (Visiting Angels par 11). 

Senior Advisor also suggests that “Loneliness is a possibility” if one remains at home. Though there are often many people living in Assisted Care, Residential Care facilities, and nursing homes, many of the residents are lonely for their families and the friends they had before moving into their new home. Research has shown “homesick seniors are at higher risk of stress and depression, both of which accelerate physical and cognitive decline” (par 12).  

Moving senior adults out of their home takes them away from their comfortable surroundings, forces them to get rid of some of their dearest treasures, and often reduces the number of visits friends and family are able to make. The loss of all these things often leads to depression and causes a more rapid decline in health. “Aging in place allows seniors to keep their current social network and expand upon it. It not only allows seniors to stay near current friends but it gives them the freedom to host social events if they prefer” ("5 Benefits of Aging in Place" section 4, par 1) .

Removing an older adult from the comfortable and familiar surroundings of their home can also speed the onset of memory loss or Alzheimer’s. “Loss of memory is a scary prospect for many as they age and being moved into a new environment, particularly an institutional environment, can worsen the progression of memory loss” (Section 3, par 1). The longer one can remain in their home the slower their memory fades. “There is also benefit to the familiarity of your surroundings helping to trigger memory. Smell is one of the most powerful memory facilitators for example, and studies have shown that in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, smells increase memory recall. Staying in your own home helps ensure familiar sights, sounds, and smells to help keep you connected cognitively” (Section 3, par 3).

Assisted Living facilities are a convienent choice which provides many “services such as cooking meals, bathing or dressing, doing laundry, or taking medications.” (Senior Care Services at Braswell Family Senior Care section 3), but each of these forms of assistance costs money.  Some facilities charge a higher price that includes all of these things in the price. Others start with a lower base price and charge more for each service depending on the individualized level of care needs of each resident.  These kinds of long-term care facilities are very expensive. “Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are often too expensive for seniors and their families. In an assisted living center, a bed in a shared room will typically run between $10,000 to $20,000 per year, while a private room can cost upwards of $75,000 per year. These costs climb even higher in nursing facilities when seniors require specialized care. 

Aging in place also comes with a price tag. Many seniors need to modify their homes to make them safer and more livable. In a number of cases, seniors also need to hire an in-home caregiver to assist with light housekeeping, routine errands, or activities of daily living. Despite these costs, aging in place is typically less expensive than living in an assisted living or nursing facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who choose to age in place can save thousands of dollars per month in care costs” (Visiting Angels par 12).

The charts below demonstrate how dramatic the cost differences can be. When one moves into an Assisted Living facility, they may pay for services they don’t need for a long time or at all.

Avg. Cost of Facility Care

Facility Room Average Annual Cost

Nursing Home Semi-Private $6,844/month, $82,000/year

Assisted Living Private Room $3,628/month, $43,000/year

Avg. Cost of In-home Care

Care Type Average Cost

Home Health Aide $20.50/hour

Homemaker Services $80/day, $2,400/month, $28,000/year

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If an individual can receive help from family or friends, his or her costs could even be less to stay at home. San Bernardino county makes provision for low income seniors to receive In Home Health Services at no cost, thanks to Medi-Cal and Medicare.

Seniors say that staying in their home is comfortable for them, and those who are able to remain at home have a higher quality of life. It is easier to keep with a familiar routine, attend community events, and receive visits from family and friends. But because some seniors become less stable on their feet, making them prone to falling, or lose their vision, making cooking and cleaning difficult, they require help in order to stay home. This is where family needs to be available to step up, not necessarily filling the need themselves, but finding ways to help their loved one get the help they need. 

It is true, as seniors age it can become harder for them to care for themselves. They may lose mobility, or stability, which can make daily routines difficult. Maybe they can’t see as well, making cleaning and cooking difficult. Many lose their hearing, and that can bring other concerns. Almost everyone reaches a point in life when the help of others becomes a necessity. There are many options available for as much or as little help that is needed. Most counties provide services like meals on wheels, so cooking becomes a non-issue, and concern for their eating a healthy diet is lessened when we know they are receiving balanced meals most days. So, as seniors become unable to accomplish these tasks, it’s not a requirement that they leave their home.

I believe it is our responsibility to take the best care we can of our loved ones, not only our aging parents, but those close to us, that may not have family that is able to help them find the help they need. We ought to honor our parents; I believe that means to help them finish their days here on Earth with as much dignity and self-respect as possible. Our parents invested at least 18 years of their lives in us trying to make us a productive, positive addition to society. Are they not worthy of a time investment from us at the end of their journey?

 

Works Cited

5 Benefits of Aging in Place. 16 July 2019. 13 November 2019. <https://www.retirementliving.com/5-benefits-of-aging-in-place>. Acessed 13 November 2019.

Aging In Place – What Does Aging In Place Really Mean? 02 July 2019. 13 November 2019. <https://www.seniorliving.org/aging-in-place/>. Acessed 13 November 2019.

AgingInPlace.org. n.d. 13 November 2019. <https://www.aginginplace.org/aging-in-place-vs-assisted-living/amp/>. Acessed 13 November 2019.

Home Matters: Aging in Place Housing Survey. 24 March 2016. 13 November 2019. <https://states.aarp.org/virginia/home-matters-survey>. Acessed 13 November 2019.

Senior Care Services at Braswell Family Senior Care. n.d. 13 Novemner 2019. <https://www.braswellshealth.com/services>. Acessed 13 November 2019

Visiting Angels. 2019. 13 November 2019. <https://www.visitingangels.com/knowledge-center/care-options/4-benefits-of-aging-in-place/348>. Acessed 13 November 2019.