When the time came for Jane Zappa, 72, to move her husband, Pat, to a care community that could better support his challenges with Lewy Body Dementia, she was faced with another decision: Should she stay in her home?
Pat, also 72, moved out of the couple’s 3,200-square-foot West St. Paul house in late December. Zappa has lived alone there since—pondering her future with the help of family and friends. She loves the neighborhood, her home of nearly 30 years, her ability to host her three daughters and five grandkids when they come over. Most area condos aren’t attractive to her. She’s not opposed to moving—but it’s not an easy decision, especially when she still has her health.
“And we live on a nature center,” Zappa says. “We have deer and wild turkeys, coyotes, lots of birds, just a lot of life. It’s really an appealing area and I think that’s holding me here, in a way.”
A 2018 AARP survey found that three out of four adults age 50 and older want to stay put in their communities and homes as they age. Maureen Kenny, Director of Aging Services at the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, helps older adults and loved ones to accomplish this goal every day.
“It’s peoples’ preference to stay living where they’re comfortable,” she says. “And so the place of choice is often their home and their community rather than moving into some new setting, or an institutionalized setting.”
But that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the right path to take. Where to live in our later years is an important decision that should involve loved ones and begin early, Kenney says. She offers some insight for both older adults and caregivers to help make the decision and to make aging in place safe and convenient should it be the best fit.
MORE THAN A HOUSE
First, Kenney says, it’s important to think about what aging in place means to you or your loved one. For many, it’s more than the house.
“It’s more complex than that,” she says. “Aging in place can be in a different setting as long as they feel like they’re still in their community and they’re still connected to their neighbors, their family, their faith community, and the community center that they may go to.”
She encourages older adults and caregivers to think about what is most important to them—envision what aging in place means and how the goals surrounding that can be achieved. For example, what local organizations might the individual be involved with? What is the proximity of critical services like health care and grocery stores? Access to helpful neighbors, family and friends also needs to be looked at. Zappa’s husband was initially distraught about moving, but when he was informed he could still participate in Wilder’s Adult Day program, where his friends were, he was on board.
“I personally believe that social isolation piece is as important as some of the structural things,” Kenney says. “That even if a person is living in their home, that’s not always a perfect scenario, especially if they can’t access vibrant engagement in life.” Kenny also notes that 92 percent of older adults have one chronic disease and 72 percent have at least two. They and their caregivers need to evaluate whether management of medications and health care needs can be done consistently at home.
HOME SAFETY
If a loved one (with their family members) decides to stay at home, the space should be evaluated to make sure it is safe and able to accommodate whatever needs the person might have, considering both physical and mental health. Mobility is a key factor.
“It’s really looking through a practical lens at how you maneuver around your home and think about those simple modifications you can make,” Kenney says. “And if there are bigger modifications, where are those human resources to help do that, especially if you don’t have the financial means.”
Examples of some questions to ask: Are there stairs and can they be used easily? Is the bathtub accessible? Is everything in the kitchen accessible? If a walker or assistive device is needed, are doorways wide enough? Should ramps be added? Are there any lips or obstacles that might cause a fall?
Other considerations involve vision and hearing—whether a home is well-lit, if the phone and doorbell are audible, etc. And is there an easy method for emergency contact? Interior and exterior upkeep shouldn’t be forgotten, either, Kenney says. Zappa, for example, uses a lawn and home cleaning service.
Many of these issues can be addressed with helpful friends or family, but a variety of services can assist with bigger projects, on a range of budgets. The Minnesota Board on Aging’s Senior LinkAge Line (1-800-333-2433) is a great resource for finding those services and more. You can also find helpful information at caregivercornermn.com. Kenney’s most fundamental advice is not to put off these conversations.
“The less stress that’s involved in that conversation, the better the outcome,” she says.