Aging in Place Services
Most people understand the term "aging in place" to mean staying in their current home regardless of age or abilities. Although that understanding defines the ideal goal, the concept of "in place" refers more broadly to residing in a community outside an institutional setting (such as a nursing home).
As people age, their activities, interests and needs can change; and "aging in place" services help people manage and adapt to changes that affect where and how they can continue to live safely in the best housing situation possible. The news is good for people facing challenges to their abilities to continuing living in their own homes or apartments: of those eighty-five and over, 40 percent fewer seniors are in nursing homes today, as compared to 1985. (source: Federal Reserve Bank of NY)
Dealing with the challenges that aging, illness or disability can bring involves entire families, but family members are often unable to provide as much help as their loved one needs - especially if no one is sure what type of help is the most relevant to their loved one's situation, much less what resources are available to help them provide what their loved one wants and needs. When family members live far away from their loved one in need, the challenges are multiplied. Even when the individual and the family feel they have enough knowledge and ability to do what needs to be done themselves, time, energy, and demanding jobs often interfere with achieving a good balance between helping the loved one and meeting one's other obligations.
Aging in place specialists like Allie Hafez help individuals and their families/caregivers analyze the challenges, identify the needs and resources, and determine what is realistic for the individual to do him/herself; for family members to do for him/her; and whether non-family members are needed to help. Allie provides services that incorporate any necessary combination of:
