Aging In Place: Why Home is Where the Heart Is for Seniors

As we age, our homes become even more precious to us. Over the years, we surround ourselves with memories, cherished objects, personal touches, and other things that bring us comfort and joy. Having our own home, whether it is an apartment, condo, home, or other dwelling, also gives us a sense of independence.

Many seniors who find themselves needing hospice care, fear that they may have to give up their homes and much of their independence in order to receive hospice services.

But with the advent of home hospice services, people are no longer forced to leave their homes behind. Also known as “aging in place,” home hospice provides those in their final days with everything they need to live out their final days right where they want to be: at home, surrounded by the people and things they love.

Here are some of the many benefits of aging in place:

Preserving Independence and Control

One of the chief advantages of aging in place lies in maintaining independence and autonomy. Our homes represent our private domains where we make choices regarding daily routines, diet, entertainment, and more based on personal choice alone. Staying within familiar environments enables seniors to maintain an independent identity that may otherwise become increasingly challenging to achieve in institutional environments.

Avoiding Relocation's Stress

Moving can be both emotionally and physically straining for seniors who live alone, yet moving out is rarely beneficial to their well-being. By remaining put, these seniors can avoid upheaval by keeping valuable possessions, memories, and community connections close at hand while alleviating confusion over new surroundings/routines, anxiety, or any potential setbacks to health/wellness issues that come with being uprooted from home for an unknown length of time.

Comfortable, Familiar Spaces

Nothing beats home for cozy comfort and familiarity. Our homes reflect who we are; reflecting our personalities, styles, and life experiences in their furnishings and design. Remaining within these tailored environments helps older adults remain at ease knowing everything they require is close by - providing emotional security never before experienced in such intimate living arrangements.

Maintain Social Connections

Homes and neighborhoods for many seniors serve as social hubs that foster vital support networks. Aging in place means keeping close ties with friends, relatives, faith communities, and valued services and amenities nearby to foster a sense of belonging, purpose, and overall life satisfaction.

Cost Savings

Home modifications, in-home care services, and other accommodations may be essential investments you have to make to age in place, yet staying put often proves more cost-effective than institutional living options like nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Furthermore, remaining in a home that has already been paid off or has an affordable mortgage repayment schedule offers significant financial advantages over institutional living arrangements like nursing homes.

Home Health and Hospice Care Providers Can Now Deliver Skilled Medical and Personal Services

Thanks to home health and hospice care providers' dedication, seniors now have access to an array of skilled medical and personal services directly in their own residence - everything from skilled nursing, physical therapy, and compassionate personal services such as social workers and volunteers - right from the convenience of home. They enable seniors to safely meet all their healthcare needs while remaining safe within their homes.

Aging in place is an important decision for individuals and their families to make. For many older adults, however, it offers them the best path toward independence, dignity, and quality of life during their golden years. Understanding all its many advantages - such as emotional security and lasting memories to cost savings and personalized care services - more seniors and their loved ones may feel empowered to create safe aging-in-place plans tailored specifically to their unique needs and wants.

At Coastal Home Health and Hospice, our mission is to deliver superior home health and hospice services with compassion, expertise, and the utmost respect for both the physical and emotional needs of our patients. We specialize in supporting those aging in place, working alongside their families towards this goal, and making home comforts part of your hospice experience.

If you have any questions about Coastal can help support you or your loved one, please reach out to us at 541-469-0405 today.