Aging in Place

NCOA Adviser: 7 Best Medical Alert Systems of 2024: Expert Tested & Reviewed

We narrowed down the best medical alert systems based on features, cost, and performance to help you find the right device.

"Some people might still associate medical alert systems with bulky, outdated buttons and the “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” slogan from nightly infomercials. Fortunately, today’s medical alert devices are modern, discreet, and full of high-tech features, like voice recognition, step tracking, and health vitals monitoring. And most importantly, a 24/7 connection to a monitoring center.

These devices are valuable safety tools for older adults, people at risk of falling, and anyone living alone.

Our Reviews Team researched and tested the top medical alert systems on the market to help you make an informed decision for yourself or your loved one. Let’s take a look at our picks for the best medical alert systems in 2024."

Check out the following link from the NCOA Adviser.

Stylish Home Updates That Make Aging Easier

AARP is a great source of information for seniors. One of the major areas of focus has always been on Aging-in-Place.

Check out this recent article that "explains how large and small renovations, stylish updates and space reconfigurations can improve safety and quality of life — allowing you to live more comfortably now and into the future.​"

VA - Handbook for Design: A Guide for Specially Adapted Housing and Special Housing Adaptation Projects

This pamphlet provides assistance to Veterans and Servicemembers eligible for the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH), Special Housing Adaptation (SHA), and Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grants administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In addition to providing important program information to Veterans and Servicemembers, this pamphlet will serve as a resource for VA’s business partners, such as architects, designers, builders, and VA compliance inspectors, who play a critical role in delivering this benefit. VA hopes that the information presented in this pamphlet will increase sensitivity to the needs of our Veterans and Servicemembers, facilitate awareness of the program requirements, and help expedite the grant approval process.

Check this website for a comprehensive guide provided by the VA for programs available to veterans for special housing needs and accommodations.

Aging in Place in 2023: What is it? And how can you do it.

This is a great article on aging in place because it considers both the upside AND the downside to committing to aging in place. I've been an advocate of aging in place for a number of years and still consider it a good model for many people, but I've learned that perhaps not all retirees. This article includes those points in their presentation of aging in place.

Ron Smith

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 1 in 6 people will be age 60 or older by 2030.

Though everyone’s aging process is unique, many older adults are deciding whether to remain in their homes or move to an environment like an assisted living community — whichever best caters to their well-being and supports healthy aging.

Research suggests that many older adults want to remain in their homes while surrounded by loved ones and the community they’re used to until it becomes difficult to do so.

In addition, a 2021 Home and Community Preferences survey by AARP of 2,826 U.S. adults found that about 75% of people over age 50 want to stay in their homes or communities for as long as possible.

Choosing to live in your home or the community you’re familiar with as an older adult is known as aging in place. Here, we deep dive into what it is and how you can age in place.

The Visiting Angels’ Safe and Steady® Fall Prevention Program

"Fall Prevention for Seniors

The Visiting Angels’ Safe and Steady® fall prevention program can help reduce your elderly loved one’s risk of slips, trips, and falls at home and decrease the chance of serious injuries that could result in hospitalization, loss of independence, permanent disability, or even death.

Visiting Angels’ compassionate caregivers are committed to helping seniors remain at home as they age, keeping them where they feel safest, happiest, and most comfortable. Fall prevention is an essential responsibility of Visiting Angels’ professional caregivers."

This link will take you to the Visiting Angels Fall Prevention Program.

"According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the top cause of injury death for seniors and can impede their ability to remain independent — making fall prevention a vital part of aging in place."

Aging in Place: Growing Older at Home

How to plan ahead to age in place.

Planning ahead is hard because you never know how your needs might change. The first step is to think about the kinds of help you might want in the near future. Maybe you live alone, so there is no one living in your home who is available to help you. Maybe you don't need help right now, but you live with a spouse or family member who does. Everyone has a different situation.

NIH's National Institute on Aging does a good job of introducing the notion of planning for change as we age and the need to consider aging in place as a mechanism to deal with those changes.

14 Bathroom Updates for Now and Later as You Age in Place

Bathrooms present a high risk of falls and need special attention.

"The risk of falling rises with age as people experience decreased mobility, reduced eyesight, muscle weakness and other conditions. Each year, more than 10 percent of adults 65 and older have falls that result in injuries. ​

​Falls happen mostly at home and mainly in the bathroom, which can be a slippery space with hard surfaces. Bathroom design upgrades — from small and inexpensive to big and bold — can make a difference and help prevent falls.​​"

This August 2023 article from AARP focuses on useful bathroom improvements that help to prevent fall.

VA - Disability housing grants for Veterans

We offer housing grants for Veterans and service members with certain service-connected disabilities so they can buy or change a home to meet their needs and live more independently. Changing a home might involve installing ramps or widening doorways. Find out if you’re eligible for a disability housing grant—and how to apply.

Explore this valuable information on housing grants from the VA.

AARP - Caregiver's Guide to Smart Home Technology

Technology today can offer caregivers oversight into the lives of aging loved ones without being intrusive. The devices that can help put together the big picture of a loved one’s health and well-being aren’t a substitute for interaction. But they can help an older adult remain independent longer.

Top Reasons Why Seniors Should Consider Senior Living Facilities

"Senior living is an assisted living residence that provides seniors with personal care services such as dressing and transportation, meals, bathing, dressing and medication management. Senior living is all about living a great life. There are two categories of older persons who are hosted in senior living facilities; independent living and assisted living seniors. Senior living facilities range from posh luxury hotels or cruise ships to home like facilities. This means that there is something for everyone.

Today, senior living facilities are not institutional. As a result, most people who have moved to independent or assisted living communities report a better life and prefer it to the boring, lonely life at home. Although most people heading to their retirement years think that they will be comfortable in their homes, some end up opting for senior living facilities. This article will detail all information about senior living."

This article from Senior Living Ways helps to address many of the questions about the move from one's home to a senior living facility.

"The National Center for Assisted Living approximates that 87 percent of seniors require assistance in food preparation and help in medication management. As outlined by Assisted Living Federation of America, senior care should encompass quality life, dignity, accessibility, personal choices and personal choices. The National Center for Assisted Living has created guidelines for senior living, which states that staff should strive to meet cultural, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being of the seniors. With that said, the question why choose senior living facilities can easily be answered."

What is Durable Medical Equipment and Where Can I Buy It?

This article was published in Senior Living.org - last updated March 22, 2023

Durable Medical equipment (DME) is defined as a medically necessary supply or device that you can use over and over again.

Medicare covers most of the cost of many common pieces of DME. Read our 2023 guide to Medicare to see what else is covered by Medicare that you might not know about.

Devices and supplies must meet a certain list of criteria to be classified as DME by Medicare and Medicaid.

When you're trying to navigate aging in place or managing an illness or disability, it can be hard to keep up with all of the lingo. To help, we're going to explore a popular term that you're likely to encounter as you age: durable medical equipment (DME).

DME might sound straightforward since you already know what each word means, but it's actually a specific term used by Medicare, Medicaid, and other insurance companies. In general, durable medical equipment is medically necessary supplies and devices that you can use over and over again.

Seniors, who are more likely to have a chronic illness or mobility difficulties, need durable medical equipment more than other age groups.

AARP: Aging In Place: 5 Changes to Make to Your Home That Won’t Break the Bank

Many want to stay in place after retirement. Here's how

"Ask someone over age 65 where they’d like to live for the rest of their lives, and chances are pretty good 9 out of 10 will tell you: Right here. In other words, at home, meaning the one they’re occupying right now. ​That’s according to AARP's Home and Community Preferences Survey. Unfortunately, only about 10 percent of homes nationwide are 100 percent prepared for senior living. That preparation includes a step-free entry, bed and bath on the first floor and at least one bathroom with safety and accessibility features like grab bars and a built-in shower seat."

"​​The disconnect means that many people (more than 75 percent, ) will, in fact, age in places that are less than 100 percent prepared to welcome them. But, experts note, you can make several inexpensive and fairly easy changes to your homes that will make them safer and friendlier for aging in place."

Check the link below for more information on some steps that you can take to better prepare your home to age in place.

Your Home Checklist for Aging in Place

Start with small projects and anticipate future needs.