How to Create a Safe and Comfortable Home Environment for Aging Loved Ones

Everyone wants to have a place where they feel safe, secure, and comfortable. For many aging individuals, that place will always be the home they built their lives in. The challenge that comes with that is their inability to maintain living in such a way independently.

Whether this insecurity comes from health concerns, safety concerns, or a mixture of both, our loved ones still want to maintain their independence as long as possible. It was once a challenge to remain in the home. However, such wishes can be achieved today with a few interventions and considerations.

Challenges Our Aging Loved Ones Face in Their Homes

As we age, our bodies and minds work a little differently than they used to. This change is gradual for some aging individuals, while for others, it seems to occur overnight. It becomes more difficult for our loved ones to maintain the independence they so crave.

What challenges do our parents and other family members face as they age?

Fall Concerns 

As we get older, our bodies start to slow down and we aren’t just talking about our body's physical speed. This also comes into play with our reflexes and agility as well. With less balance control, more spastic movements, and decreased bone density and muscle tone, there is likely to be an increased risk of falling.

Memory Issues 

Another aspect of aging individuals' lives that has to be considered when talking about their home environment is their mental agility. As we age, our brains can often deteriorate, leading to slower processing, increased memory issues, etc. With that comes concerns about using certain tools and appliances, as well as a lack of daily hygiene.

Decreased Safety 

Due to the aforementioned challenges, seniors are more likely to have decreased awareness of their surroundings and overall safety within the home. While we all want to always be as cognitively alert and physically fit as possible, that isn’t a reality the older we get. Suddenly, our homes become a maze of potential hazards that need to be diminished or maintained.

How to Account for These Challenges

The good news is that there are ways to ensure your loved one feels seen in the face of these challenges. Before we make adjustments to their lives, we have to consider their point of view and meet them where they are. So, how do we do that?

Patience is Key

First and foremost, we must find an opportunity for patience within ourselves. Consider how scary and uncertain these changes must feel to your aging loved one. They’ve spent their whole lives living a certain way, and now, seemingly overnight, they are being faced with an urgency to make significant changes. 

Be Open and Understanding

Next, we move into the understanding phase of this journey by opening ourselves up to moving forward with an open and patient heart. All we want in life is to be seen, heard, and understood. Your aging parent or family member is the same way. They know they can’t continue living how they always have, but they have concerns. Take the time to sit with them and listen.

Offer Support

Finally, the best way to face these challenges is together. Show your loved one that you hear what they say and want to help. What that help looks like will be different for every family. However, ensuring they have a support system is the first step toward reassurance that their independence will be the first consideration when finding solutions.

Ensuring Comfort and Safety While Maintaining Independence

We have now considered what challenges your aging loved one might face as they age. We’ve also considered how to approach the conversation about changing their home environment. Now, it’s time to figure out an action plan.

For some families, that action plan might include hiring a caregiver. Whether this caregiver takes on a permanent or part-time role in your family’s lives, it’s a big way you can allow your loved one to continue living in their own home. Caregivers give you peace of mind and support a senior who wants to maintain their medical, physical, and emotional independence for as long as possible.

Sometimes, an aging parent or family member has challenges that require more than a caregiver's watchful eye. This is when technology can bridge the gap, making home life much easier. There are various options available when it comes to remote patient monitoring. Some are as simple as a fall button, while others monitor your loved one's movements and send out alerts if they leave their home or are in an emergency they can’t handle alone.

This complex monitoring system is perfect for families facing a memory loss diagnosis. It allows them to be aware of their loved one’s condition every moment of every day. Whether it is alerts about your family member leaving home unsupervised, a fall where they can’t get back up, or any other medical emergency, these systems make independence a reality for those who wish to maintain living at home.

The MedPat Solutions Promise

MedPat Solutions has provided our customers with peace of mind for decades. Recently, we saw a gap in the aging in place market that we knew we could fill. Thus, we created our Med-Pat Care-4 Caregiver Pager System. This gadget gives family caregivers peace of mind about their loved one’s independence and safety. 

Our system ensures round-the-clock peace of mind whether you are caring for your loved one or simply wishing to enhance the services provided by a professional caregiver. The easy-to-use touchscreen receiver ensures safety and connectivity no matter your age, ability, or comprehension level. 

Contact us today if you wish to get started finding solutions for your aging family member’s safety.