Deciding whether to stay at home

Your home situation is unique, and several factors will weigh in on the best choice for you. Here are some of the issues in evaluating your options:

Location and accessibility

Where is your home located? Are you in a rural or suburban area that requires a lot of driving? If you’re in an area with more public transit, is it safe and easily accessible? How much time does it take you to get to services such as shopping or medical appointments?
Home accessibility and maintenance. Is your home easily modified? Does it have a lot of steps or a steep hill to access? Do you have a large yard that needs to be maintained?

Support available

Do you have family and friends nearby? How involved are they? Are they able to provide you the support you need? Many older adults prefer to rely on family to provide help, but as your needs increase, they might not be able to fill in all of the gaps. It’s important to consider proximity to community services and activities as well.
Isolation. If it becomes difficult or impossible for you to leave home without help, isolation can rapidly set in. You may not be able to participate in hobbies you once loved, stay involved in community service that kept you motivated, or visit with friends and family. Losing these connections and support is a recipe for depression.

Medical conditions

No one can predict the future. However, if you or a loved one has a chronic medical condition that is expected to worsen over time, it’s especially important to think about how you will handle health and mobility problems. What are common complications of your condition, and how will you handle them?

Finances

Making a budget with anticipated expenses can help you weigh the pros and cons of your situation. Alternate arrangements like assisted living can be expensive, but extensive in-home help can rapidly become expensive as well, especially at higher levels of care and live-in or 24-hour coverage.

What other seniors think about staying at their home

Most seniors wanted to stay in their homes for as long as they can. They like the routine, the normalcy of things. They do not want any disruptions if they can avoid it. The major issue is when an emergency happens and no one can help them as  they live alone.

In Home Caregiving

The expense of in home caregiving ranges from $4000 and up per month.  Live-in care is cheaper than hourly care.  Some have long term care insurance while the rest are paying out of their pocket.

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