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We
all value our ability to live independently.
As we age, we might run into
circumstances that challenge our ability to
control our lives.
Chronic health issues might make our
living arrangements difficult and possibly
unsafe.
Everyday activities that seemed so
routine can seem so daunting after a major
health event.
Old thinking would have us moving into a
nursing home when our life becomes so
difficult to manage.
But today, everything has changed.
Now, with planning and an attitude of
acceptance of assistance, it is possible to
remain at home.
This is what aging in place is all
about.
Laurie Orlav, a national expert on Aging in
Place Technology, has determined that there
are four interconnected domains that are
necessary for successfully allowing one to
age at home.
According to Laurie, ignoring one
piece of this interconnected aging in place
puzzle is a recipe for decline and the risk
for isolation and depression increases.
These domains encompass a wide
spectrum and are as follows:
- Contribution
and Learning
This
domain challenges the older individual to
stay connected to community either by
working in whatever capacity they are able
or by volunteering.
If they prefer they could engage in
lifelong learning programs.
Staying connected to community keeps
the brain mentally sharp and wards off
depression and isolation.
- Health
and Wellness
This
domain is expansive, covering everything
from fitness programs to medication
management.
We might not have control over some
of our health issues, but we can do
everything possible to take care of
ourselves in order to have the best quality
of life available to us.
Taking classes like Enhance Fitness
and A Matter of Balance can help us
physically feel better every day and make us
feel less vulnerable to falls.
The more we learn about disease
management and medication management, the
more secure we can become in our
independence.
We have the help of pill organizers
and medication minders to assist in this
daily challenge and keep us the healthiest
we can be.
- Home
Safety and Security
Technology
has come a long way in allowing us to remain
in our home, even if we are a little frailer
than we were in our younger years.
- Personal
Emergency Response System (PERS):
electronic devices which enable
individuals at high risk of
institutionalization to secure help in
an emergency.
The individual wears a ‘help’
button in the form of a pendant or a
bracelet.
The system is connected to the
person’s phone and programmed to
signal a response center once a
‘help’ button is activated.
The response center is staffed by
trained professionals.
The PERS service is limited to
individuals who live alone or who are
alone for extended periods of the day.
- Technology
can be even more advanced.
There are motion monitors
available for placement in the home
setting.
These are infrared motion sensors
placed around the home that determine if
there is lack of movement for a certain
period of time.
For example, a sensor can
determine if an individual went into a
bathroom but didn’t come back out.
The advantage of this system is
that it isn’t intrusive – no
pendants or bracelets to wear.
The drawback is that it can
trigger false alarms.
- Fall
Detection Devices: traditional PERS
require the individual to push the
‘help’ button, do not indicate
whether the device is being worn or not
and only work inside the home.
More sophisticated fall detection
devices can summon help with or without
the push of a button, reminds the wearer
to put it on and works anywhere in
conjunction with a compatible cell
phone.
Fall detection is one of the most
important aspects of enabling seniors to
live independently and age in place.
- Communication
and Engagement
The
use of personal computers has opened up the
outside world to many seniors.
Recent research has shown that 23% of
seniors over the age of 75 own a personal
computer.
The reason they have jumped into the
internet age is to stay in touch with family
and friends via e-mail, research health
issues, write, play games, manage personal
finances and create graphics for publishing.
The reason the other 77% haven’t
bought into the idea was their unfamiliarity
with computers.
Training on computers for seniors has
increased.
The internet provides a window to the
outside world to many seniors who can no
longer travel.
The opportunities to have live video
chats with friends and family can eliminate
the possibilities of isolation that might
exist. Technology
has made living independently a viable
reality for many seniors.
It has also given peace of mind to
many long-distance caregivers.
The
technology of today has allowed frail older
adults to remain living in their own homes
and has given their caregivers some peace of
mind. Even
though these tools may seem like they work
like magic, it still requires a good deal of
research and planning to have everything in
place as it is needed and used properly for
effectiveness.
The following websites offer the
latest information on aging in place issues
and technology.
www.naipc.org
National
Aging in Place Council
www.seniorresource.com/ageinpl.htm
Senior
Resource
www.ageinplacetech.com
Aging
in Place Technology Watch
http://ageinplace.com
Age
in Place: Better Plan. Better Life
LifeTime
Resources is your connection to services
that will allow you to incorporate the
components of these domains into your life.
Services directly related to these
domains are:
Contribution and Learning
-
Volunteer
program, providing volunteer
opportunities for positions, including
meal deliverer, nutrition site
assistance and community health and
wellness classes for seniors.
-
Senior Nutrition Activity
Centers, a community gathering place for
fun, food fellowship, wellness programs,
group games and entertainment.
Health
and Wellness:
-
Enhance
Fitness Classes, soon to be offered in
Dearborn,
Jefferson
,
Ohio
, Ripley and
Switzerland
counties.
These fitness classes are
specifically designed for older adults
and lead by community volunteers
-
Matter
of Balance Classes, soon to be offered
again in the Sunman area.
LifeTime
plans to expand Matter of Balance
classes to all counties as community
volunteers are trained.
These classes are designed to
limit the risk of falls
-
Exercise
Classes, general exercise classes
designed for seniors are held weekly at
each
Senior
Nutrition
Activity
Center
.
-
Health
Screenings, health screenings, including
blood pressure and glucose checks, are
available free of charge monthly at each
of our Senior Nutrition Activity
Centers. Seasonal flu shots are provided
at most centers annually.
-
Medication
Management education is provided
annually at each
Senior
Nutrition
Activity
Center
and other community meeting places as
requested
-
Nutrition
Education, Purdue Extension Office
provides monthly nutrition education
classes at each
Senior
Nutrition
Activity
Center
.
Home
Safety and Security:
LifeTime
Resources’ Case Managers and Options
Counselors complete comprehensive needs
assessments.
These needs assessments include
evaluation of physical, mental and
environmental conditions.
Upon completion of the assessment
Case Managers and Options Counselor will
recommend services and resources to assist
individuals to remain safely and
independently at home.
Some of the services available
through LifeTime
Resources include:
-
Attendant
Care- hands on assistance furnished in
the home of frail or impaired persons to
ensure health and safety.
-
Home
Health Services- provision of
professionally directed tasks to achieve
self–reliance for the chronically ill
or disabled.
-
Respite
Care – services for individuals unable
to care for themselves because of the
absence or need for relief of the usual
caregiver.
-
Homemaker
Services – direct and practical
assistance consisting of household tasks
and related activities.
-
Skilled
Nursing – provision of medical
procedures or care to a chronically ill
or disabled individual to help maintain
independence.
-
Home
Modifications – minor internal and
external modification to the home
environment, which will assist persons
to increase the functional ability and
enhance safety.
-
Adaptive
Aids – devices that enable increased
ability to function in a home or
community based setting.
Communication
and Engagement:
-
LifeTime
has a comprehensive website that allows
individuals to request information and
submit referrals for services through
e-mail communication.
-
LifeTime
presents Aging in Place Seminars free of
charge.
These seminars provide valuable
information to promote active aging.
In addition to the services and information
listed LifeTime
is partnering with community leaders to make
their community aging friendly.
Working together we can develop our
communities into Communities for a Lifetime
that will enable individuals to age in
place.
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