At a prompted discussion on death, a girl in her mid 20’s sat next to me. She was filling in for another professional at a networking event which was including a mini Death Cafe during the meeting. Each table had a stack of questions to stimulate conversation and get us thinking about our own death and sharing out loud.
Sharing among strangers, she began her answer with “If I die…” I put my hand on her arm, (this was before Covid when we could still do this) and said, it’s not a question of “if but when.”
It’s amazing to me that although almost all of us have dealt with the death of a loved one and will face our own at some point, we don’t talk about it. Like if we don’t mention it, it won’t happen.
It’s estimated although 85% of Boomers want to age in their own homes, 90% have done nothing to prepare.
Our denial about death and the challenges of aging rob us of necessary planning and likely living a better quality of life approaching aging with curiosity rather than fear. With more people home in isolation and a collective pause in the busy-ness of our society, it’s a great opportunity to begin looking at life, your future wishes and evaluating your home and options.
Eve and George reached out to us after Eve was injured caring for George in their two story home. Having heard us present at a talk at their synagogue, they kept our information for some day. When their lives became too difficult for things to remain the same, they scheduled a consultation with our team.
We thought they’d be the perfect stars of Senior Savers Episode 2. In the episode, we brought in the necessary resources for Eve and George to make an informed decision about their future living plans and evaluate what remaining in their two story home would look like.
Since the show aired, we’ve expanded our offerings earning two designations and vetting additional resources to address the needs of our aging clients in a multi-pronged holistic approach.
Home safety for seniors includes:
- Technology both personal and for the home
- Home Modifications
- Medication Management
- Social opportunities outside the home
- Home services – meal delivery, home health and home care, cleaning and laundry services
- Home organization, floor planning for modifications and downsizing
- Estate preparation
- Financial and insurance professional referrals
- Reverse mortgages
Just as no two people are alike, our many different clients approach aging differently. – some embrace a move into a senior community and begin participating even before they have officially moved. Some prefer to remain at home. Sadly, we’ve been called in when remaining home is no longer an option and the client is reacting to a situation which could have been avoided. Taking a proactive approach by preparing your home and confronting the challenges of aging increases your chance to age in place which is defined as living in the home of your choosing as you age.
Moving Towards Tomorrow is a partnership of The Devore Realty Group and Silver Linings Transitions. Clients are able to determine whether staying in their current home or moving to a smaller, easier to maintain home is their best option and what programs are available to them.
Silver Linings Transitions has earned the Age Safe America and NASMM@Home designations.
Fritzi Gros-Daillon, Director of Education and Advocacy at Age Safe® America and graduate of the Columbia Business School discusses aging safely in place in a recent Columbia Business magazine article entitled: The New Old, written by Sara Cravatts. Here is an excerpt.
By 2030, one in every five residents in the US will be over the age of 65. It’s the first time in the nation’s history that older people are projected to outnumber children. With the average life expectancy now at 78.7 years, there’s a growing need for increased resources.
Among the chief concerns is aging in place and home safety for seniors for themselves or for loved ones. Most people prefer to age in their own homes and communities, but many are not prepared, says Gros-Daillon.
The key to aging in place is preventing falls, the most common cause of injury among the elderly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that by 2020, the costs related to injuries sustained from falls will rise to $60 billion annually. Gros-Daillon ticks off the list of home modifications people should make—building ramps, installing voice-activated lights, and putting in grab bars, especially in bathrooms. “Grab bars are the new seat belts,” says Gros-Daillon. “You may not want it, but everybody needs one.”
If you’re ready to stop denying there’s an elephant in the room and are prepared to eat it. We’ll make it easy… one bite at a time!!! Sign up for our Aging in Place Panel discussion or call (760) 522-1624 to learn more.