Our aging population is growing and eventually the time will come when most of us have to ask the question: Do I invest in a senior friendly home upgrade, or should I seek other alternatives? We could be asking in regard to ourselves, our parents, grandparents or other family members.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The reasons for choosing other alternatives could be due to the level of medical care required, the person’s mental and/or physical abilities, or the desire to move to an assisted living facility. But if staying at home is an option, there are many things that can be done to make aging-in-place a safe and comfortable choice.
Generally, people prefer to stay in the home in which they’ve raised families and made many memories. The environment is comfortable and familiar, medical and social networks are in place, and there is more freedom to live to your own schedule rather than an institution’s. Assisted living facilities are expensive, and while house upgrades also have costs, you can budget for different updates as needs arise.
As more people are entering their senior years, more services are popping up to provide for those able to stay in senior friendly homes. Home care assistance, Uber for appointments and getting around, and home grocery delivery all help with day-to-day living. There are also tax credits and programmes like HAFI (The Home Adaptations for Independence) which provides financial assistance to help eligible seniors and people with disabilities in British Columbia, to continue to live in the comfort of their home. So when staying at home is an option, making house upgrades to age-in-place is becoming an easier and more affordable choice every day.