There are countless studies that can be referenced when it comes to the importance of aging in place, ranging from making sure that those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease retain more of their cognitive functioning, to keeping the home and the faces there familiar and therefore more comfortable, to improving mood and avoiding depression. Aging in place provides continuity of setting, and this has a huge impact on the elderly. If it is at all possible for your loved one and your family situation, then this is something that you should seriously consider. Hiring an in-home care professional is typically seen as the best way to keep your loved one in the house, and still provide them with top of the line senior care.
However, the mental health benefits are not the only reason why aging in place is so important, and why we are going to be seeing this used with much greater frequency in the coming years. According to polls, more seniors want to stay in their home today than at any other point in history. That makes logical sense; there are far more seniors living in our country than ever before. The average age of the population is higher than it has ever been before. Beyond the sheer numbers, though, there’s also a greater ability to do so than ever before. The elderly can have their groceries delivered to them. They can video chat with a doctor over the internet. They can even rent movies online through Netflix or another streaming service so that their entertainment is completely covered. They almost never would need to leave the house again.
Obviously, leaving the house once in a while is a good thing. However, aging in place allows your parent a larger degree of comfort than ever before as it is no longer disruptive to their lifestyle when they do leave the home. Instead, it’s a short trip, and not and uprooting one.
What this means for you and your family can be hard to decipher at first. But, we know that the senior care industry is going to grow in a large way, and because so many seniors are staying at home now, in-home care and home health care are going to be the areas where the bulk of this care takes place. The Bureau of Labor Statistic has indicated that this industry could grow by as much as 70 percent in the coming years. That’s a large number, and for you and your family, it means that when it eventually does come time to select a family caregiver, there’s a chance that you could have an overwhelming number of professionals to choose from. This is a mixed blessing. While choices are good, it also means that there will likely be caregivers that are not as qualified as others. When you choose a caregiver for your mom or dad, be sure that you look at their training and their background so that you are not just choosing a caregiver, you are choosing the best caregiver you can.
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