Did you know that nearly 9 in 10 adults prefer to age in place (live in their own homes) during their later years rather than moving to an assisted living facility?
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While aging in place offers many benefits, it also has its challenges. It is important to ensure that all of one’s needs are appropriately met to avoid long-term issues.
In this article, we will discuss some of the pros and cons of aging in place for seniors.
What Is Aging in Place?
Aging in place means staying in one’s home as one grows older, often living independently, and receiving the necessary support at home rather than moving to a different location or facility.
Seniors often prefer aging in place because it provides familiarity, independence, and the comfort of personal space. However, it can also pose risks and place additional responsibilities on their caregivers.
Pros of Aging in Place
There are several pros of aging in place, including:
Independent Living
Aging in place often allows a senior to maintain more control over their life and continue their preferred routines, such as deciding when to sleep and wake up, choosing their activities and meals, deciding who to spend time with, and how to live. This independence helps them enjoy life on their own terms, without others dictating their choices.
Therefore, aging in place allows seniors to maintain their habits without adapting to new routines and environments.
Familiarity
Seniors may often find comfort and convenience in living in their own homes because they are familiar with the home and may have built cherished memories there. Familiarity with the space and having feelings of ownership of personalized furniture, decor, and other aspects of the home can also improve mood and avoid feelings of destitution, loneliness, or other negative emotions.
Remaining Connected
Aging in place allows seniors to remain connected with their existing community, including their neighborhood, friends, and loved ones. This is especially true for those who still live in their family homes with relatives, partners, or even close friends and roommates.
Confidence
Moving to a new environment can diminish one’s confidence and gradually affect their sense of self. Aging in place helps preserve confidence and allows seniors to stay true to themselves in a familiar and comfortable setting. The comfort and familiarity of the home can be helpful, especially for those with cognitive or physical limitations.
Cons of Aging in Place
The cons of aging in place can include:
Demand for Continuous Care
As people age, their physical and mental health may start to decline, increasing demand for continuous care.
Loved ones and family members are usually busy with their own hectic schedules, making it difficult for them to look after seniors 24/7 while managing their personal and professional responsibilities.
Aging in place may present a challenge, especially for those with significant medical needs, including medication cycles, clinical care, physical therapy, and other demands. Even for seniors without significant medical conditions, many household chores like cleaning, home maintenance, shopping, or cooking can be too demanding for the senior, requiring additional support and care.
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Risk of Injuries and Sudden Health Issues
Aging in place carries the risk of injuries if the house is not modified according to the seniors’ changing physical needs. This is especially important for multi-story homes with staircases, or older homes that may require more maintenance, which the senior may not be able to perform.
Additionally, aging often requires a higher level of care to prevent sudden health issues, which can be challenging for family members to provide at home.
Higher Costs
Aging in place often requires home modification costs like installing raised toilet seats, grab bars, and ramps. For multi-story homes, elevators or other assistance devices can be quite costly.
Aging in place also involves expenses such as home repairs, rising property taxes, hiring helpers or nurses, and installing or maintaining appliances like water heaters and air conditioners. These costs can sometimes be higher than those of living in an assisted living facility.
Costs of Aging in Place
The cost of aging in place depends on the needs of the senior. There can be several costs, including:
In-Home Care Services
As seniors age and their physical needs increase, managing household tasks becomes more demanding. This often creates the need to hire assistance for personal care, housekeeping, and meal preparation.
Depending on the state, in-home care services vary from $21 to $50 per hour for full-service caregiving and these prices will be in the higher range for those that need nursing or other clinical care. These costs can be slightly lower for specialized services, such as meal-prep or housekeeping for those that do not need regular, daily support for a range of tasks, but rather only need support for one or two things.
Home Renovations
Home renovations may be required to meet the needs of seniors and improve home accessibility as they age. Renovations can include things such as installing raised toilet seats, grab bars, stairlifts, and rails. The cost of home renovations can be quite high, depending on how much renovation is needed. Major renovations may also require permits, which can significantly increase costs and the amount of time required for the renovation.
Healthcare Services
Healthcare services, like physical therapy, occupational therapy, or administering IV drugs or medications when needed, may cost around $100-$200 per day.
Tips for Aging in Place
Analyze the Risks and Benefits
Aging in place has both advantages and disadvantages, so it’s essential to weigh the risks and benefits when deciding between staying at home or moving to a nursing home or assisted living facility.
The first step is to assess whether aging in place offers more benefits and fewer risks or drawbacks or if assisted living facilities provide greater advantages based on the senior’s health, needs, and lifestyle.
Create a Budget and Manage Finances
The next and most crucial step is to create a budget and determine the maximum amount of money you can spend, prioritizing essential expenses that cannot be compromised.
Various government programs provide financial assistance to seniors, such as Medicaid, which offers healthcare support to those over 65, and Social Security, which provides retirement benefits to seniors and their spouses starting at age 62.
Seniors who wish to age in place can take advantage of these financial and medical benefits to better manage and distribute their expenses.
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Plan To Invest
If aging in place comes with more benefits, plan to invest in home care services that can benefit the senior in the long term. For example, you can invest in home modifications, security systems, and medical alert systems, depending on the senior’s needs.
Stay Socially Connected
Whether aging in place or living in a nursing home or assisted living facility, it’s important to take steps to stay socially connected with loved ones.
In today’s digital age and busy lifestyles, in-person visits may happen less frequently. To avoid isolation, seniors can schedule regular video or phone calls with family and friends, as well as plan in-person visits once or twice a week. This is especially true for those living in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, as the lack of necessity for a caregiver makes required visits by family members more limited.
In addition to staying connected to family members, joining a local senior center or community organization can help seniors connect with peers, build friendships, and enjoy social activities with others in their age group.
Distribute Responsibilities
Aging in place can place significant burden and stress onto the senior’s primary caregivers. To reduce this burden, it’s helpful to distribute responsibilities among family members, neighbors, relatives, and friends, ensuring no one person feels overwhelmed.
For example, one person can take charge of preparing meals, another can assist with daily tasks like cleaning, bathing, and dressing, while someone else can manage groceries and medications. By sharing the workload, caregiving becomes more manageable for everyone involved. If possible, even part-time at-home care can be beneficial to relieve the caregiver, even for a short time.
About the Author
Reviewed by Dr. Ryo Sanabria
Dr. Ryo Sanabria, PhD, was born and raised in New York. They received a B.A. and M.A. in biotechnology from CUNY Hunter College, and an M.A., M.Phil., and PhD in Nutrition and Metabolic Sciences from Columbia University. Dr. Sanabria is a professor who currently teaches at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Their areas of expertise include gerontology, cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, and nutrition. They are the recipient of many awards and grants and have authored numerous research papers. The most rewarding part of their work is training and mentoring new scientists. Dr. Sanabria is an avid fitness enthusiast, and in their free time, they enjoy marathon running and weight-lifting. Dr. Sanabria's pronouns are they/them/their.
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