Aging in Place - Have you made preparations?

palides2021 said:
Wow! You really understand what aging in place is all about! The shower chair, pull down shower head, and bedside toilet. All smart ideas. Sorry that your mom had dementia! That must have been tough for you.
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No, not so tough but another learning experience. My husband was ill with cancer for 5 years. I had learned a lot in that season of care giving. I was ready to step up when Mom needed me.

Husbands issues were more related to breathing (oxygen), diet, making sure he ate. Physical issues like lymphdema. I had to learn how to do the massage therapy, tapeing and wrapping that was required everyday to keep the swelling and pain down.

I would say I have lost almost all fear of medical things I have learned to manage through caregiving over the years.
 

Just posted the following over at City Data on a similar topic on our preparations thus far since retiring on 1-Feb-21

The Assist / Grab Bars for Toilets, Showers and Tubs.

The rubber pads for Lids.

A Grabber Stick
Ue3djjcm.png


Our Stairwell is dark and hard to see as we get older. Aging eyes and all....

We installed these. I'll admit I was abit skeptical but we really like them and they work exactly as we hoped, i.e., they are Motion Activated and light up the Stair Treads and make going up & downstairs much safer for us.
Do recommend


Motion Sensor Lights for Front Porch and Driveway. Better to see the Lock on the Front Door and for spotting Zombies....
rolleyes.gif


Ring Cameras

We put Motion activated LED Light String things under all our Kitchen Cabinets and the Pantry. Made a huge difference.

We also added a bunch more of bright LED Ceiling Light (Cans) in the Ceiling. Those old eyes again...

We put in a whole House Stand By Generator (Natural Gas Fueled) We have really been glad over multiple Power Outages ranging from a minutes/hours to several days. The Stand By Genset was a Retirement Gift to ourselves after having endured many Hurricanes and Ice Storm(s), and Weather related Power outages over the last 40 some odd years.

We are expecting the first Grandbaby from #1 Daughter about Christmas. We will be Daycare and we are installing the Stairlift Chair Contraption / Hot Rod for us to ride up and down while holding the Baby. There is no way we will risk the Stairs while carrying the baby. So a Hot Rod it is...
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Higher ADA Toilets. Make a big difference when my Lower Back gets real stiff.

We got one them fancy Stearns & Foster Adjustable Mattresses - it does seem to help with Back Pain and the Sleep Apnea. This was another upon Retirement gift to ourselves.

I had not realized what all we had done since retiring on 1-Feb-21. Oh well...

Retirement is wonderful
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I do not have stairs but if I did I would have the lights. I think @hollydolly has those. I have no need for the stair lift but would get one when if i need it if I had stairs.

Congratulations on the grandchild, it is wise to make sure our homes are safe again if we have littles that will be visiting.

I also have under counter lighting. The best purchase I ever made was a Streans and Foster mattress. I hope you enjoy as much as I do mine. I do not sleep as well as I was did but it is the best bed I have ever owned.
 

Blessed said:
I do not have stairs but if I did I would have the lights. I think @hollydolly has those. I have no need for the stair lift but would get one when if i need it if I had stairs.

Congratulations on the grandchild, it is wise to make sure our homes are safe again if we have littles that will be visiting.

I also have under counter lighting. The best purchase I ever made was a Streans and Foster mattress. I hope you enjoy as much as I do mine. I do not sleep as well as I was did but it is the best bed I have ever owned.
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Yes you're right Blessed,:) I have motion sensor lights all the way up my stairs... I also have the under counter lights... and Video ring doorbells as mentioned by @gamboolman ..I also have the grab bar in to the bathroom.. which o/h installed , and even 2 grabber sticks..one upstairs, one down. Simply to prevent me getting up on high ladders unnecessarily to reach for items from above (y)
 
Warrigal said:
We have been approved for an aging in place package that will allow us to make further modifications to enable us to stay in our home (with help) for as long as possible. I am interested in a bathroom/toilet refit to allow a personal assistant to shower either of us should that be needed in the years to come.
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May I ask where you got this package? I have not been able to get any help from the government to maintain my home and get help to stay in it. I've discovered most Senior Centers are run by private business who contract with the government to provide some minimum activities for seniors which are mostly social and not so much help with basic living needs.
 
Blessed said:
No, not so tough but another learning experience. My husband was ill with cancer for 5 years. I had learned a lot in that season of care giving. I was ready to step up when Mom needed me.

Husbands issues were more related to breathing (oxygen), diet, making sure he ate. Physical issues like lymphdema. I had to learn how to do the massage therapy, tapeing and wrapping that was required everyday to keep the swelling and pain down.

I would say I have lost almost all fear of medical things I have learned to manage through caregiving over the years.
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You do have a gift, I might say, @Blessed! Not everyone can do what you have done. I think you should have been a doctor or a nurse!
 
gamboolman said:
Just posted the following over at City Data on a similar topic on our preparations thus far since retiring on 1-Feb-21

The Assist / Grab Bars for Toilets, Showers and Tubs.

The rubber pads for Lids.

A Grabber Stick
Ue3djjcm.png


Our Stairwell is dark and hard to see as we get older. Aging eyes and all....

We installed these. I'll admit I was abit skeptical but we really like them and they work exactly as we hoped, i.e., they are Motion Activated and light up the Stair Treads and make going up & downstairs much safer for us.
Do recommend


Motion Sensor Lights for Front Porch and Driveway. Better to see the Lock on the Front Door and for spotting Zombies....
rolleyes.gif


Ring Cameras

We put Motion activated LED Light String things under all our Kitchen Cabinets and the Pantry. Made a huge difference.

We also added a bunch more of bright LED Ceiling Light (Cans) in the Ceiling. Those old eyes again...

We put in a whole House Stand By Generator (Natural Gas Fueled) We have really been glad over multiple Power Outages ranging from a minutes/hours to several days. The Stand By Genset was a Retirement Gift to ourselves after having endured many Hurricanes and Ice Storm(s), and Weather related Power outages over the last 40 some odd years.

We are expecting the first Grandbaby from #1 Daughter about Christmas. We will be Daycare and we are installing the Stairlift Chair Contraption / Hot Rod for us to ride up and down while holding the Baby. There is no way we will risk the Stairs while carrying the baby. So a Hot Rod it is...
cool.gif


Higher ADA Toilets. Make a big difference when my Lower Back gets real stiff.

We got one them fancy Stearns & Foster Adjustable Mattresses - it does seem to help with Back Pain and the Sleep Apnea. This was another upon Retirement gift to ourselves.

I had not realized what all we had done since retiring on 1-Feb-21. Oh well...

Retirement is wonderful
smile.gif
Click to expand...
These tips are invaluable! Thank you so much for sharing, @gamboolman ! I will check into the lights for the stairs, and a few other things you mentioned.
 
Chatting with another couple looking for a new home, I hadnā€™t realized how many people are wanting homes with no stairs or basements. Thereā€˜re lots of retirees around here. Our house has 2 to 3 steps for entry. They werenā€™t a problem yet but we put in railings now. Donā€™t want to find out we needed them when we tripped. We have a basement. If we stay here, which we probably will, we should plan on just living on the main level. Itā€™s about the same size as your average city apartment. Weā€™d still have to get to the furnace and do maintenance outside. I donā€™t think this place will last forever for us.
 
palides2021 said:
Here is a video I watched about aging in place by a geriatric doctor.
Very good and emotional. Makes one think about the future.

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That is an interesting film. It does make one think. When I moved out of my home 11 years ago I was looking for a place that was safe and not many stairs to climb. I found a lovely little 2-bedroom Villa. Tiny garden and only carpet in the bedrooms and 2 steps at the front and back door. I got my son to add a rail at the front door and a rail in the bathroom. I do feel very safe here and I am within driving distance from my local Doctor or Hospital if ever I will need it. Who knows what the future holds? maybe I will end up in a nursing home, I certainly hope not.
 
officerripley said:
Very true. Unfortunately, around here and too many other places if a senior wants to live in something other than a tiny apartment, about the only affordable option is a mobile home in a park. And mobile homes all have to be accessed by steps or a ramp or a lift. Most parks around here won't allow a ramp to be put in since there usually isn't enough space for the ramp to be long enough to be safe. (Some people try installing the ramp anyway, but when my dad tried this, the ramp contractor wouldn't do it, was afraid of being fined or losing his license.) So then you have to get a home stair lift, which I hear you can buy good used ones since they're made so well but that is still money you have to spend. And most mobile home parks around here are far away--in some cases, miles & miles--from any stores, etc., I guess since that's where to open land is to put a park in. So then once you can no longer drive, that also becomes an issue.
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Mobile parks here are often the same way. Thereā€™s just not enough room to add a ramp which is a much needed thing if you are disabled. The Senior Mobile parks however have more room around them for this very thing.

Another thing you might want to consider if you donā€™t like apartment living is a small one floor house. There are some cute 1 or 2 bedroom little houses that are easy on the budget and easy maintenance.

Recently I inquired about independent senior suites and apartments. They didnā€™t require any type of doctors note but what they do require is your POA. I backed away from that one right away.

Some of these tips I learned earlier while helping my own parents. They had a huge set of stairs they were crawling up taking up 1/2 bags of groceries at a time.

The saddest part was that they were withholding all this info from us. At the time, I thought they were being foolish but looking back, they were merely protecting themselves. They didnā€™t want to go into a home and they didnā€™t until a bit over 4 years later.

Stairs were purchased to help them up the stairs and I also got them some government assisted help which was free for them. This helped a lot especially with things like getting them to take their meds, making sure they were eating and encouraging them to shower.
They were very helpful. I donā€™t know if all countries have government paid assistance but itā€™s worth looking into.

There are a couple of drawbacks with using these types of systems. 1/. You are now on their radar 2/. They will poke pester family about finding POA and last will preferences. They will also suggest stealing car keys to stop driving if license is lost or they just canā€™t drive safely. The big problem with this is that itā€™s actually illegal to take someoneā€™s keys even if itā€™s for their own protection.

When Should You Take Away the Car Keys from Senior Loved Ones?
 
bingo said:
7 years ago we moved from the hills of North Carolina to flat farmland of Southern Illinois to be near our daughter...
Bought 3 lots in small town of 1200 people..and a small single mobile home...porch included.
my husband built large ramp entryway...and there's little to no yard maintenance.
my husband died yesterday morning...before dawn..
our daughter and son in law were here day and night to care for him...
i look at all the preparations he made..
i can stay here a while..although the house is very empty of his voice and presence.
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Iā€™m so very sorry for you loss. How tragic.
IMG_1823.jpeg
 
PeppermintPatty said:
Mobile parks here are often the same way. Thereā€™s just not enough room to add a ramp which is a much needed thing if you are disabled. The Senior Mobile parks however have more room around them for this very thing.

Another thing you might want to consider if you donā€™t like apartment living is a small one floor house. There are some cute 1 or 2 bedroom little houses that are easy on the budget and easy maintenance.

Recently I inquired about independent senior suites and apartments. They didnā€™t require any type of doctors note but what they do require is your POA. I backed away from that one right away.

Some of these tips I learned earlier while helping my own parents. They had a huge set of stairs they were crawling up taking up 1/2 bags of groceries at a time.

The saddest part was that they were withholding all this info from us. At the time, I thought they were being foolish but looking back, they were merely protecting themselves. They didnā€™t want to go into a home and they didnā€™t until a bit over 4 years later.

Stairs were purchased to help them up the stairs and I also got them some government assisted help which was free for them. This helped a lot especially with things like getting them to take their meds, making sure they were eating and encouraging them to shower.
They were very helpful. I donā€™t know if all countries have government paid assistance but itā€™s worth looking into.

There are a couple of drawbacks with using these types of systems. 1/. You are now on their radar 2/. They will poke pester family about finding POA and last will preferences. They will also suggest stealing car keys to stop driving if license is lost or they just canā€™t drive safely. The big problem with this is that itā€™s actually illegal to take someoneā€™s keys even if itā€™s for their own protection.

When Should You Take Away the Car Keys from Senior Loved Ones?
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This was very useful to know! Especially the POA! It is good you were able to get your parents government assisted help!
 
Jules said:
Chatting with another couple looking for a new home, I hadnā€™t realized how many people are wanting homes with no stairs or basements. Thereā€˜re lots of retirees around here. Our house has 2 to 3 steps for entry. They werenā€™t a problem yet but we put in railings now. Donā€™t want to find out we needed them when we tripped. We have a basement. If we stay here, which we probably will, we should plan on just living on the main level. Itā€™s about the same size as your average city apartment. Weā€™d still have to get to the furnace and do maintenance outside. I donā€™t think this place will last forever for us.
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We've been talking about railings for the front. Like you, I want to get them before we've fallen.
 
Brookswood said:
I still have stairs in my home. I think they help to keep me fit and they serve as a warning sign if I am letting myself go. Thankfully, despite some arthritis my knees still work rather well.
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I have stairs also and have thought along the same lines as you - they keep me fit. Meanwhile, I will be working on converting the first floor for aging in place if I ever need to avoid stairs in the future.
 
timoc said:
Arh yes, stairs!!!!!
I want one of those gadgets where you press a button and just say, "Beam me up Scotty." šŸ˜Š
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Good idea, lol. Seriously though, since in most cases with us oldsters if we live long enough, it's not a question of if we're going to have a problem with stairs or steps, it's a question of when. So that's why I intend to keep stairs and steps totally out of my life.
 
Brookswood said:
I still have stairs in my home. I think they help to keep me fit and they serve as a warning sign if I am letting myself go. Thankfully, despite some arthritis my knees still work rather well.
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I would rather not think of it as letting myself go as age presents more challenges. But I know what you mean.
 
My house is impossible, but I just ignore it. For me, the problem is the day-to-day urgencies. Yesterday, I spilled a five-pound sack of corn on the carpet. The day before, my check-engine light came on. I just recently managed repairs on my roof to get me through the winter. It's always something, it never stops, and now I've overdone my daily quota of sniveling again.
 
bingo said:
7 years ago we moved from the hills of North Carolina to flat farmland of Southern Illinois to be near our daughter...
Bought 3 lots in small town of 1200 people..and a small single mobile home...porch included.
my husband built large ramp entryway...and there's little to no yard maintenance.
my husband died yesterday morning...before dawn..
our daughter and son in law were here day and night to care for him...
i look at all the preparations he made..
i can stay here a while..although the house is very empty of his voice and presence.
Click to expand...
I'm so sorry for your loss :( I'm in the same boat. My hubby died suddenly on Oct. 13th and I know what you mean by the house being empty of his voice and presence. It's very difficult, isn't it. (((HUGS)))

We lived in this house for 1 1/2 years since moving back to PA from AZ. We had to put a LOT of money into this house to make it livable. Now, he's not here to enjoy what we had done. I've been back and forth with myself about staying here or going somewhere else, so I guess I'll stay...for now. They say, when in doubt...don't. This is a tri-level house with a lot of stairs. I'm 77 but in good health and can go up and down with no problems but it concerns me that I'm alone here.

The housing here is difficult to find a one-level home. There are nice patio homes in senior communities, but the waiting list is very long and right now the prices are too much for me. It's a dilemma.
 
caroln said:
I've been giving some thought into getting rid of a bathtub/shower combo and installing a low entry shower stall. But it would be in the hall bath, which I've heard is a bad idea when you go to sell the house. Most families want a bathtub in the hall bath for the kids, not in their master bedroom. But the master bath in our house is my husband's bathroom (it's very small) and my bathroom is the hall bath, and I'm the one that wants the shower conversion.

At this point, I'm not sure I should be concerned about resale since I plan to never leave this house until forced to. Shower conversion kits have come a long way in recent years and some are really stunning, but I just don't know if people still think they're tacky and will hurt resale value.

I keep thinking I should make the house convenient for me, not the next owner, but I don't want to destroy the home's value either. What to do...what to do???
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My realtor told me that bathtubs are being fazed out so when we had renovations done, we had a shower put in the main bathroom upstairs and had the tub taken out. We were afraid hubby would trip getting out of a tub/shower because of his injured ankle. I guess I'll find out in the future how that affected the value of the house. We did it for our convenience and safety.
 

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