Assess the situation for independent living
The great majority of older adults say they'd prefer to live out their days in their own home. The likelihood of making independent living work is much greater, though, if everyone involved does some conscious planning -- the earlier the better. These eight steps will set you on your way.
1. Have a group or family meeting.
This is the first step toward building what Ann Cason, author of Circles of Care: How to Set Up Quality Home Care for Our Elders, calls a "circle of care." This network may include paid caregivers, health care providers, friends, and neighbors as well as family members. With planning, you can all work together to provide a web of support for older adults as they continue to age.
Such a meeting is also a good opportunity get clear early on about what care-giving duties the older adults in your care may -- perhaps unconsciously -- expect you to assume as they get older, and what you and other caregivers or siblings are (and aren't) willing or able to take on. A frank conversation about this upfront can help avert potential resentment or disappointment down the line.
2. "Future-fit" their home for independent living
Take a tour of their home, perhaps with them, and think about how to make it safer and more navigable. Everything from a grab bar in the bathroom to a variety of new high-tech gadgets aimed at helping elders live independently at home safely are worth a look.
Your local Area Agency on Aging or a private geriatric care manager can refer you to an occupational therapist who can help identify hidden hazards and ways to make their home easier to navigate as they get older. The occupational therapist may also be able to recommend companies or tradespeople who can make necessary renovations.
This is also the time to think about downsizing -- helping them get rid of decades of accumulated belongings that can make their home harder to maintain as they age.
I wish that I had something to make it easier when my Father had Alzheimers, who is now deceased, and now with my Mom who just turned 87 and also lives in independent living. Because of what I see with both my parents and other elderly, seniors, disabled and special needs individuals, my business partner and I researched and recently became Northern California distributors of two types of systems, one is called CloseBy and the other VitalPoint. CloseBy uses advanced motion sensor technology that learns the daily living patterns of seniors and sends alerts (text or email) when certain out-of-the-ordinary events occur. It helps put families first, and to give them all peace of mind never before possible. The basic system includes a sensor for the bed, one sensor for the easy chair, a sensor for the stove in case it's left on too long, sensors for the doors, cabinets, medicine cabinets, etc. Optional video cameras can also be purchased that can be mounted outside on the front porch so you know who is at the door. The VitalPoint Home Monitor is another system which is intended to be used as a clinical tool for remotely monitoring a patient’s health status at home or in another healthcare facility. The system is intended to guide patients through a set of scheduled activities whereby medical data (vital signs, symptoms, and medication compliance) is collected. The system is intended to transfer the collected data to a remote site where it is stored and reviewed by a clinician. The system is also intended to allow the clinician to modify the patient’s scheduled activities in response to the collected medical data or other information available to the clinician. The intent is to provide clinicians caring for patients outside the hospital with a means for keeping track of how the patients are doing without the patients having to come in for a checkup or requiring the clinician to go to the patients. It provides periodic remote monitoring of the patients self-reported symptoms or vital signs, including: • Non-invasive blood pressure • Oxygen saturation • Pulse rate • Temperature • Weight • Blood glucose level • Fluid status • Prothrombin time • Electrocardiogram (ECG) and heart rate monitors WARNING: THE DEVICE LABELING ADVISES PATIENTS TO CONTACT THEIR CAREGIVER, NURSE, OR DOCTOR; CALL LOCAL EMERGENCY NUMBER AS APPROPRIATE; OR GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM WHENEVER THEY FEEL THE NEED TO DO SO. THE VITALPOINT HOME MONITOR DOES NOT ANALYZE PATIENT INFORMATION, NOR DOES IT OFFER MEDICAL ADVICE. NEITHER THE VITALPOINT OR CLOSEBY HOME MONITOR IS NOT AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM. I hope this information is helpful for those caregivers looking for some sort of help. I wish I had these when my Father was alive. There is more info at www.insight-network.com
Hi aaderosas, Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, Caring.com does not have any resources or expert knowledge on how to start your own independent living center, but I wish you the best of luck. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager
hi can anyone tell me how to start an independent living center. We want to convert a house do we need licensing to do an independent living center in california what steps do we need to take to legalize everything or can we just start it?
i was looking for housing ?i live on my own. i live in the middletown ct. area. thank you. butch.
This is a wonderful outline of things to do to prepare for this serious life change. I would like to get permission to print it or link to it on my website. Mike@KephartLiving.com