Aging in Place
Growing Older at Home
What is Aging in Place?
Aging in place means choosing to grow older at home rather than moving to a facility or senior living arrangement. It is the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of age, income or ability level. Most older Americans, roughly 90%, wish to live at home for as long as possible. Aging in place has many benefits which can improve not only quality of life but also one’s physical health.
Benefits of Aging in Place
Some benefits of aging in place include quality of life, personal independence, reduced chance of contracting a severe illness and significant cost-savings.
- Preserving Independence: Seniors that choose to age in place enjoy a greater degree of personal independence and often enjoy a greater sense of dignity. They also maintain more control of their routines, activities and life decisions.
- Safer and Healthier Environment: Aging in place allows older adults to feel the peace of mind and comfort of living in a familiar environment. This is often a critical factor in seniors’ quality of life. It can also help reduce the risk of contracting a severe illness or bacterial and viral risks.
- Cost-Savings of Living at Home: Growing older at home is also less expensive than nursing homes or assisted living facilities. On average, a room can cost upwards of $10,000 to $75,000 per year, depending on the level of care. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development suggests that aging in place can save thousands of dollars per month in costs.
Benefits of Aging in Place
Some benefits of aging in place include quality of life, personal independence, reduced chance of contracting a severe illness and significant cost-savings.
- Preserving Independence: Seniors that choose to age in place enjoy a greater degree of personal independence and often enjoy a greater sense of dignity. They also maintain more control of their routines, activities and life decisions.
- Safer and Healthier Environment: Aging in place allows older adults to feel the peace of mind and comfort of living in a familiar environment. This is often a critical factor in seniors’ quality of life. It can also help reduce the risk of contracting a severe illness or bacterial and viral risks.
- Cost-Savings of Living at Home: Growing older at home is also less expensive than nursing homes or assisted living facilities. On average, a room can cost upwards of $10,000 to $75,000 per year, depending on the level of care. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development suggests that aging in place can save thousands of dollars per month in costs.
Aging in Place Home Plans
When making the decision to grow older at home, there are many things to consider, such as safety, health, support, transportation and finances, which is why it is important to be proactive and plan ahead. Individuals may need to adjust their home or living situation to accommodate their changing lifestyle. Some considerations for creating a home plan for aging in place include:
- Home Safety: The decision to age in place often requires modifications to ensure the home is safe. Consider what safety features or modifications need to be made and the costs and time involved with these changes.
- Making a Care Plan: A care plan is a critical step for addressing necessary financial and health arrangements to ensure adequate support while aging in place. Typically, a care plan is updated over time. So as needs change during the aging process, so does the care plan.
- Living with Chronic Diseases at Home: Approximately four out of five older adults suffer from at least one chronic health condition. Individuals with chronic diseases often have difficulty with basic tasks such as lifting objects, walking up steps, bathing or dressing. Consider what type of additional support will be needed to live safely in the home.
Technology for Aging in Place
Assistive technology is a term that is used to refer to adaptive or safety-enhancing devices that are designed to increase independence for those with limited abilities due to the aging process. Assistive technology supports individuals by increasing safety and health, improving quality of life and enabling the independence to safely age in place.
Assisted technology such as personal emergency response systems (PERS), remote patient monitoring (RPM) and medication management solutions are examples of assistive technology that can help seniors successfully age in place, keeping them healthy and independent in the comfort of their homes.
Technology for Aging in Place
Assistive technology is a term that is used to refer to adaptive or safety-enhancing devices that are designed to increase independence for those with limited abilities due to the aging process. Assistive technology supports individuals by increasing safety and health, improving quality of life and enabling the independence to safely age in place.
Assisted technology such as personal emergency response systems (PERS), remote patient monitoring (RPM) and medication management solutions are examples of assistive technology that can help seniors successfully age in place, keeping them healthy and independent in the comfort of their homes.
Success for Payers and Providers
Ray F. SSM Health
We have had multiple patients press their medical alert pendant after their heart stopped beating for a short time, and because this remote technology enabled them to receive timely care, they survived. It’s clear Connect America cares about the patient as much as we do. By working with a reliable partner, we’ve been able to collaborate and problem-solve when needed to ensure the best possible patient outcomes."
Theresa B. Ocean Health Initiatives
Connect America’s RPM solution is a gamechanger for OHI's efforts to improve care for our underserved, vulnerable patient populations. Utilizing RPM has made a meaningful impact on the lives of our patients, which is what we care about most. This technology allows us to provide considerate and timely treatment to patients that typically require a significant amount of care. By being able to intervene earlier we have seen significant improvements in patient outcomes."
Michelle M. St. Peter’s Health Partners
We have been thrilled with Connect America! ConnectVitals is a huge improvement over our previous provider. We are able to give new equipment and enhanced technology features to our members while reducing costs. They truly partner with us and actively help us grow the program.”
Lynette T. Director of Finance, The Eddy
Mary K. The PACE Place
Paloma H. President and CEO, Urban Health Plan
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