What is ‘Aging in Place’ and is it right for you or your loved ones?

As we get into our elder years we may be faced with situations where our mobility, vision, or daily activities have changed but we haven’t yet reached a point where we need to live in an assisted living community or even need to leave the home we have been in for years. In those situations “aging in place” can be a great option. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines aging in place as “the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level”. Many families of seniors and seniors themselves find comfort in the technologies and programs that have been created for aging in place. These technologies and programs make life easier, more manageable, and bring reassurance in case a situation or emergency arises where you or your loved one needs assistance quickly.

One technology that can provide a person with the added security they desire is a medical alert system. Medical alert systems come in a lot of different forms such as push buttons you wear, key chains, or entire household systems. A medical alert can also be incorporated into your cell phone. Snapfon cell phones feature an SOS button that will call and text three preprogrammed contacts and can also be tied to Snapfon’s sosPlus Mobile Monitoring Service that links the phone’s SOS button to a 24-7 sosPlus agent who has access to your previously provided medical information. Having an emergency response option built right into your cell phone, that you carry with you everywhere you go, makes aging in place a realistic option for many people.

Programs available for seniors choosing to age in place can be something like working with a caregiver who comes by once a day, once a week or even stays with you or your loved one for full days. This can be a great option if you or your loved one is on medications that need monitoring or needs help driving around town. The caregiver option can simply be a form of companionship for seniors whose families live far away and don’t have the ability to come by regularly. For more information and all options and resources with aging in place visit the online aging in place resource www.aginginplace.org here you can see all the options available to make your lifestyle fit what you need.