Guest Blogger #346, Entry #922, January 26, 2012
When considering an elderly parent who wishes to remain in their home for as long as possible, or any person with mobility issues, it’s important to understand two key concepts –
- Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
- Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
Activities of daily living are skills that an individual must be able to perform if they are to live independently, and safely.
Ensure your stairwells are made a consideration for aging parents
Instrumental activities of daily living are skills which are important, but not necessarily essential for an individual to live independently, as there are often services such as home care which can provide the additional required support.
The process of home modification involves making changes and adapting a home so that a person with limitations can perform their ADLs as safely as possible while maintaining a level of comfort which they are accustomed to, and an acceptable degree of independence. The modifications can range from quite simple – such as removing area rugs to prevent falls – to more complex – such as researching options like stairlifts and stairlifts prices, or elevators and elevators prices, or having a specialized consultant come into the home to map out an individual plan of action to make the environment as safe, and functional as possible. The type of modifications will depend, of course, on the person and their specific issues, along with the current physical layout/setup of the home. Investing in the necessary modifications can be very worthwhile, as in many cases the need for institutional care can be significantly delayed, or sometimes even eliminated.
Design for safety and comfortability
Considerations
Home modifications can help people with disabilities maintain their independence and remain in their home for as long as possible. Modifications are suitable for those who have some degree of mobility and who do not require extensive medical care. Modifications can range from inexpensive to a considerable investment, but, even at the more expensive end of the spectrum, they are almost always a great savings over longterm care.
Specialists who evaluate individuals and their home environments tend to use two lists, based on the key concepts covered above. When consulting against the ADLS list, if there are problems with any of the following, the need for outside assistance and support is considered to be critical:
- Ability to get in and out of bed
- Preparing meals and/or eating independently
- Maintaining Continence
- Bathing and Dressing
When consulting the IADLs list, it can be quite a bit more difficult to determine if an individual has issues unless they are observed on a daily basis. Problems with the following indicate the need for support:
- Doing the shopping
- Performing housekeeping duties
- Using the telephone
- Accessing transportation
- Taking medications properly
- Managing finances
Ensure areas have aesthetics in mind also.
It’s also important to take note of the following areas of the home which are considered problematic, and almost always require changes of some sort:
- Stairways and steps
- Kitchens
- Bathrooms
- Exits, walkways, driveways
- Basements and cellars
After reviewing the specific needs of the individual with disabilities, and the considerations which are present inside their home, you may wish to make the necessary home modifications in order to allow them to remain in their home environment and maintain their independence for as long as possible. Best of luck to you!
This guest post was written by Spencer McKinney for Stairliftadvisor.co.uk, who invite you to visit their website for curved stair lift prices as well as other useful information.”
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We have all heard about prevention which is particularly appropriate with aging in one’s home.
Statistics show that the majority of seniors would do most anything rather than leave their homes yet when an accident occurs it is sometimes too late to prevent this occurring.
As we age we all become less mobile like or not. Starting early to modify one’s living environment can go a long way to assuring that one may remain in the home we love for the longest possible period of time.
I you are a child of aging parents now is the time to start addressing the need to accommodate your parents home to avoid their need to move to an assisted living facility in the future. If dealt with correctly even independent and resistant parents might consider undertaking the necessary before its too late.
As this article mentions expert evaluation can make recommendations on what may be necessary to allow an aging senior to live for an extended period of time in their home as they age but do it before its too late!