As we age, we have many decisions to make. Some are financial, like retirement accounts. Others involve our health, such as our daily habits, diet, and exercise. Some of our most important decisions involve both, such as where and how we will live. Does it make more sense to downsize or to fit your home with new innovations for aging in place, such as a stairlift?
While every individual and their living situations are different, at Advances for Daily Living, we think there are several compelling arguments for aging in place that can support both your health and your finances.
Financial Reasons for Aging in Place
As we’ve said many times, aging is expensive! But the right strategic choices can improve both your health and your finances.
While in some situations, relocating when you get older may be unavoidable, such as if you need to be closer to relatives or live somewhere that offers on-site living assistance, in many others, aging in place can be a viable and affordable option.
If you spent your adult years in a home with stairs or a large piece of property, you may feel that downsizing to a one-level home is inevitable, but that’s not necessarily true. You can make many choices within your existing home to make it more suitable for your current life.
From simple choices like reducing clutter to home upgrades that make for easier accessibility, like adding a stair lift, leaving your beloved home for a new one is not necessarily a given. While these changes may seem daunting at first, when you compare them to the cost and trouble of moving and relocating, you may find it makes more financial sense to make the home upgrades.
Many homeowners at this stage in their lives have already paid off their mortgages. If you already have family nearby and have any sentimental value in your home, you may want to stay where you are.
Health Reasons for Aging in Place
Some of the most compelling reasons to upgrade your home with aging-in-place innovations such as stair lifts are health-related. Numerous studies have shown the health benefits of staying within your existing home and community.
Brain and Memory
While novelty is good for keeping your brain in shape, maintaining routines and familiar surroundings is also very beneficial. That’s especially true for dementia and memory.
Remaining in one’s home is one of the strategies doctors are currently recommending, especially in the early stages of memory loss and dementia.
Remaining at home can also improve one’s mood and self-esteem, which can have a positive effect on the rest of one’s body, like cardiovascular health.
Cardiovascular
Being in familiar surroundings, like your neighborhood, can promote community and make you more likely to participate in light exercise, such as walking around your neighborhood.
Helping You Age in Place in Southwest Virginia
At ADL, we’re proud to offer many of the resources the aging individuals will need for aging in place in southwest Virginia. We offer stair lift sales, rental and installation, pain management, compression stockings, catheter supplies, and more. We’re happy to provide on-site evaluation and consultation before sales and installation. Give us a call to help you on your accessibility journey. If