Aging in Place

What is Aging in Place?
Aging in Place is the process by which seniors look to stay in their home instead of moving into a retirement home or an assisted living program. For many, this move is an affront to their dignity and independence. For many, staying in their own home is more possible than ever. With the right team in place to help, people are able to pre-plan and get the necessary assistance they need to stay in their home.
 

What types of assistance are there?
Safety and mobility are the two biggest concerns when determining whether or not a person should stay in their home. Physical modifications can usually be made to the home to make it safer. Stairs and bathrooms represent two rooms in the home where a fall is most likely to occur. In a bathroom, non-slip mats along with rails and grab bars can help prevent falls on a slick surface. Shower seats and detachable shower heads are useful for those who need to remain seated to shower. To help make stairs easier to get up and down, handrails can be installed. Motorized ramps have also become more popular in recent years to transport a person from floor to floor.
 

What other ways are there to stay healthy?
A healthy diet is one of the essentials of feeling well, but in some cases, people can’t get to the grocery store to shop for themselves. To solve this dilemma, stores like ShopRite have a service that will deliver groceries right to your front door. There are also volunteer organizations in Ocean County that will do the same. One of these is the Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, who can be reached at 732-505-2273.
 

Exercising the mind is also a way to stay healthy. Most 55 and over communities offer activities, groups and classes in addition to other social events. Monmouth Medical Center in Lakewood also has a new program called Better Health, which aims to help seniors improve their overall health and well-being. For more information on that program, call 732-575-0452.
 

If you have any questions in regards to this or any other Elder Law topic,
please call our office at 732-657-0600.
And please be sure to Listen to Inside the Law on 1160 and 1310AM WOBM.