Aging in Place:  Are You Prepared?

By Robin Bush, ISR Communications

Peter, 72, retired, and his partner, Saul, 78, have discovered that a lot is involved as they consider aging in place in their Whidbey Island home. Aging in place (aging at home) is something they had always planned on doing in their later years, but now that a medical condition has left Peter wheelchair-bound, they are wondering if it is still the best choice under the new circumstances. 

They live on Social Security, and their financial resources are limited. Will they have enough money to pay for a full-time caregiver for Peter or both of them should something else happen? Will they be able to find someone who can provide medical assistance and help with chores and cooking, too? There is a shortage of caregivers now, and the situation isn’t improving. 

When they moved in 25 years ago, their home was perfect for them – three floors, a nice view, set back in the woods on a dirt driveway.  The laundry used to be in the basement, and the bedroom was on the top floor, but once Peter couldn’t do the stairs, they had to modify the house to live on the main floor and add a ramp to the front door.  They also adapted the kitchen so Peer can help cook, but there are many other changes they’ll need to make to the house to make it truly safe for both of them, which will be expensive. They hadn’t planned for how much it would cost to remain in their home.

Now Peter can’t drive, and Saul doesn’t drive at all.  They live far from bus routes, so they lean heavily on a few friends who can put Peter’s wheelchair in their car to drive them to errands, attend church and other events, and to medical appointments.  If they can’t get rides, they stay home, leaving them lonely and isolated.  If one of them passes away, the other will be left entirely alone to face each of these challenges, and they both know the impact on overall health and well-being of social isolation.

This is not the aging-in-place scenario they had imagined.

What options are realistic? 

• They could move off the island to an apartment that accommodates disabilities. Life would be easier, but they‘d leave their circle of friends on the island.
• They might find a shared living situation on the Island with another older couple who could transport them in exchange for Peter doing more of the cooking and Saul doing more of the cleaning, but that isn’t realistic for the long term. It does provide some wonderful opportunities for connection, which maintains some independence.
• They might hire a young family member or local college student to live with them. A model program in Delaware, Mayland, and Michigan called Lori’s Hands pairs older adults with college students who visit weekly to help older community members with day-to-day tasks.  It has been shown to improve client independence and social connection while helping to prepare the next-generation healthcare workforce.   
• They might consider an assisted living facility. Living in a community setting offers social connection and access to services, while aging-in-place, for now, offers familiarity, the ability to have their cat, enjoy long-treasured friendships with neighbors, as well as a house full of memorabilia and happy memories.

They have recognized that they had previously thought of aging-in-place as the answer for ALL their later years. But they realize their needs will keep changing, so it is an answer for NOW, and they will need to plan to pivot to new solutions as time progresses.

You might be tempted to put this off until tomorrow, but if you hope to age in place, it is important to assess your resources and supportive services now and what you might need in the future.

The more prepared we are for aging, the more we will be able to make wise decisions and be in charge of our choices.

If you need assistance, please call 360-321-1600 to speak with one of our Resources and Coaching Specialists about planning for aging.