When Is the Best Time To Plan For Aging Well?

By Dave Neumaier

Closer Care

More Senior Health Articles

When Is the Best Time To Plan For Aging Well?

When we are young we plan for our education, our careers, our relationships, and our lifestyles. We may eventually even develop a retirement plan with life insurance. However, outside of financial considerations, most of us procrastinate when it comes to modifying our lives and environment for the best of senior living. Timing is the key to many things in life including critical planning, decision making and actions to ensure aging well.

We live in a world of immediacy and unfortunately we are more reactive than proactive. Investments in “aging in place” safety measures like grab bars, slip resistant surfaces and accessibility ramps, lifts and elevators too often occur after we have fallen.

Obviously, it makes more sense to have reversed these steps and possibly avoiding a fall or accident. Likewise, security systems should precede an intruder, just as detectors should precede a fire or flood. “Universal design” transforms public buildings and residences alike into safer and equally accessible places for everyone. Meanwhile, “sustainable design” can create not only a more efficient use of materials, space, energy and water resources that save money it can create a much healthier place to eat, breathe and sleep in. Clearly, solutions are prevalent.

Why are we waiting to senior proof our homes? Builders, remodelers, health providers and AgeTek integrators need to increase awareness. Perhaps we don't perceive ourselves or our parents as aging. When we look into the mirror does our mind's scotoma transform us into a slightly younger and more fit version of ourselves? Does the caterpillar ever believe that it will become a butterfly? Old is always an age beyond our own. My grandfather at age 99 proclaimed that “he did not like to hang around old people” for he was still very young at heart and completely independent.

Independence is the great fountain of youth whether one is living in their own home, with family or in a continuing care community. The human touch provided by family, friends or caregivers is essential. Long term care insurance is one option. A scalable care approach starting with companionship and basic services is another. Yet, “connected independent living” extends that human touch even further through technology platforms providing different levels of connectedness, peace of mind, quality of life and wellness assurance. Work, nor sleep, nor distance prevents a “connected family” from achieving the best and most proactive environment possible.

There is a “time and a season for everything”. So, when is the best time to prepare and age proof your home and lifestyle? If procrastination is always more costly on all levels, thennow is definitely the right time to start planning for aging well.