Every year, many seniors are encouraged to move to an assisted living facility. Pressing and chronic medical conditions reduce their ability to live safely in their own homes. Despite their strong feelings against leaving home, they are moved to a nursing center. If you are a senior who prefers to remain independent in your own home, you will find these tips to be useful. These tips will help you create a comfortable and safe living arrangement that you can stay in.
Remove mobility barriers
Mobility often accompanies medical conditions for seniors. In fact, as the numbers of elder people continue to rise, the demand for walking aids is expected to increase two fold by 2050. Just because you move to canes for elderly or even a wheelchair does not mean that you cannot stay at home. Remove the barriers that prevent you from safely getting around your house. This usually means removing furniture from corner ways or keeping items out of the middle of the floor, but it can also mean moving walls that prevent easy mobility.
Create a comfortable bedroom
Comfort is important, especially when you are dealing with chronic medical conditions that involve pain. Create a comfortable bedroom. This means designing a bedroom that is easy to get around, provides necessary support, and is safe. It can be helpful to put a mini fridge in the room for easy access to drinks and medications. Move your favorite chair into the living room is there is enough room. Decorate your bed with cushions and large pillows for optimal comfort. Use disposable bed protectors if needed to keep your expensive bedding clean. Disposable bed pads for incontinence can also help to keep the mattress clean.
Make cleaning easier
Cleaning can be difficult when mobility is a problem. You might find it tough to change your bed sheets, transport them to the laundry room, and then wash and fold them. Equipping the house with disposable items can help with these physical tasks. Disposable bed pads for incontinence will help you keep the bedding clean, without having to constantly do the laundry. You can also use disposable underpads and disposable mattress pads for easier cleaning. Disposable bed pads for incontinence can help you remain independent in your home.
Know when to hire help
If you still find the cleaning and mobility tasks to be overwhelming, consider hiring a home care company to assist you. You can hire home caregivers as often or as little as you like, so you can easily customize them to help you in the areas that you need help with. More than a quarter of all Americans and two out of every three older Americans have multiple chronic conditions, and treatment for this population accounts for 66% of the country?s health care budget. With multiple chronic conditions, home health care services may be needed.
Create an emergency care plan
One of the biggest risks when it comes to seniors remaining at home, despite health problems, is the possibility of emergency. If you are living alone, there could be no one around to call for help. If you make the decision to stay in your home, it is important to create an emergency care plan. Carry around a life alert monitor or ensure that your neighbors are constantly checking up on you. Place landline phones in all rooms. Remove barriers to your medications, so you can get to them in a hurry.
In a recent survey, 81% of retirees cited good health as the most important ingredient for a happy retirement. Yet, many newly retired seniors are moving to nursing care centers because of pressing medical concerns. Fortunately, with proper planning, you can remain in the comfort of your own home. You just need to create an environment that is safe and prepared for any medical emergencies. This means purchasing things like disposable bed pads for incontinence, creating an easily accessible mobility route, and knowing when to hire external help.
