There have been a number of studies that examine the effect that aging in place can have on the health and well-being of senior citizens. The results aren’t entirely shocking in that older adults would much rather have the freedom that comes with living in their own home instead of being moved into an assisted care facility.
Why Aging at Home Is Best
When elderly adults are living in a residence where they feel comfortable and familiar to them, they avoid many of the detrimental facets that can negatively impact their physical and emotional health. It’s no secret that both of these aspects are connected to one another, a senior feeling emotionally stressed out and mentally uneasy about where they are living can directly affect the physical well-being of that individual.
As a result, many seniors and stakeholders in their well-being are turning to in-home senior care in Bethlehem, PA as an alternative to living in a nursing home or assisted care community. That’s in large part due to the benefits that come with aging at home.
Health Benefits
These are the most important benefits that make a compelling argument for aging in place. Ask just about any senior if they would rather live in the home they’ve known for decades or an assisted living facility and almost all of them will tend towards the first option.
If an elderly adult is not happy where he or she is living, it can trigger a litany of health issues. Seniors can wrestle with feelings of abandonment or isolation when they are moved out of the home. There also exists a very real fear of germs and their impact on the health of a senior. Many facilities are overcrowded and lack personal attention and care for every resident.
When too many residents are crowded together in a contained space, the threat of germs becomes a reality in that elderly adults with already fragile and weakened immune systems are exposed to illness and their likelihood of catching a cold or contracting pneumonia increases significantly.
More Freedom and Higher Self-Esteem
Many seniors already feel as if they are a burden on loved ones. However, when they are kept from seeing those loved ones, even bigger mental and emotional impacts can start to weigh heavily on their shoulders. Assisted facilities place restrictions on their residences, freedoms are reduced, a senior citizen is not allowed to come and go as he or she pleases.
This includes visiting hours, which can be severely limited and reduces the amount of time that an elderly adult can spend seeing his or her dear friends and family. When one’s freedoms are taken from them, that can be devastating for their mindset and reduce self-esteem. Feelings of depression and despondence can start to set in and these are not conditions that elderly adults take well. To be honest, very few of us do well when we are told who we can see, for how long, and when. But living at home secures those freedoms.
