pros and cons of aging at home

pros and cons of aging at home

Aging in place is a decision that older adults make when they grow old that they want to grow old at home. The choice seems simple in its context, but when looked at, it is not easy. Staying and aging at home has its advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the situation at home, aging at home can be helpful, or it can lead to potential health problems. Therefore, before deciding to age at home or for a family member to age at home, it is necessary to consider the pros and cons and make an informed decision.

Pros

Familiarity- older adults wish to age in an environment that they are used to. As one of the sayings goes, “east-west south-north, home is best.” Therefore, older people find it hard to say goodbye to a place they have grown up and established their lives. They also find it hard to grow old in an area that is not the home they built. Thus, familiarity is an issue of consideration when choosing a place of aging.

Convenience- aging in place needs one to have a home that has been created in one’s comfort. As an older adult, one has developed a home that is best suitable for them and may find it hard to age in care facilities. As one grows old, they accumulate a lot of belongings that are best suitable for life. Therefore, it is convenient if one can age in their backgrounds.

Consistency- it is the form in which a person can continue with their routine activities daily without interruption. Older adults prefer to stay in the comfort of their homes because then they can continue with their daily activities as usual. It becomes difficult to start adapting to a new environment. Therefore, being able to do activities in their homes and being free to do what they want is beneficial for their aging.

Cons

Maintenance and upkeep- taking care of a large home as an older adult becomes hard over time. As one gets old, their energy level drops, and they may not be able to do cleaning around the house or even prepare their meals as usual. Also, running errands may be a challenging task for the elderly. If no one is there to help with the activities, the home may be ruined, and repair will be complicated over time.

Loneliness- aging at home makes the people lonely, and they sometimes feel socially isolated from the rest of the world. Even though one may have neighbors and family members that visit every often, it becomes lonely when all the people are gone. Feeling lonely can have diverse health outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, obesity, and heart problems. The reason for the illnesses is because these people eat without control because of the fear in them. Also, depression comes in because of thinking so much about the loneliness. It makes it better for these people to stay in a caring environment where they receive the necessary care and can interact with others to get rid of the loneliness.

Safety and health risks- in a home, there can be potential safety issues. For example, the lighting in the house may be loose or slippery bathrooms. The older person can slide in the bathroom and cause great danger to their health. Such items in the house can be made to serve them well but it is best if they are in a community where such accidents can be prevented. Health issues are such as the ones mentioned above. Such people are vulnerable to danger and need a close look. The oldest adults need a close look by the family members because if left alone, they can die from the inability to conduct activities such as cooking themselves.

In conclusion, the model may seem simple but it has its pros and cons that need to be analyzed before making the decision of aging at home. Aging in place can be cost effective for the person and their family members but can be costly in terms of maintenance. While a person may enjoy the benefits that come with the model, there are also potential risks that are associated with aging at home. While in the community care facility for the old, one may feel uncomfortable to do some things that they are used to because it is a new place. Also, one may find the facilities inconvenient with the life they are used to. On the other hand, they can avoid illnesses that are related to loneliness. But most people have made the decision to age at their homes because after all, it is the home they build and they have the right to live in it till the end of life. Aging at home is a model that needs to be evaluated well before making a decision depending on the factors in place. If one has no family members to stay with them and get rid of the loneliness, it is best of they are brought to care facilities.