Why 90% of seniors in India prefer ageing independently

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Nearly 90 percent of seniors aged 60 plus want to stay in their own homes as they age, this is often referred to as “aging in place”.

How many of you have heard this from your parents in India “I’ve lived here 40 years. No other place will seem like home”. The fact is “ageing in place” is a universal phenomenon.

As your parents begin to experience declines in their physical and sensory capabilities, they may have to acceptproducts, services and technology that help them maintain their active lifestyles and activities like continuing education, travel, intellectual and stimulating experiences, and opportunities for companionship.

Some of the main reasons for seniors to prefer to age in place are:

The confidence of being independent:

In general, seniors see themselves as proud survivors who have sailed through good as well as bad times. They are confident that they can continue to take care of themselves.

Dignity:

The idea of living life as per his/her rules appeals to everyone and elderly parents are no exception. Living in their own comfort zone as per their own terms is highly endearing to most seniors.

Familiarity:

The assurance and sense of comfort of staying at their own place is a big reason. Knowing where their favorite places like shops, friend’s house, shops, place of worship etc gives them a feeling of having control over the place.

Emotional attachment:

The proverb,“ Home is where the heart is”, holds true for the elderly. They have an inseparable attachment with a place where they have spent a significant amount of time and have a lot of memories attached to it.

Shifting:

The whole idea of packing a lifetime of memories to things they posses and relocating them is extremely tiring for most seniors.

Expenses:

Most of them are worried about the rise in expenditure due to shifting.

Role reversal:

Some elderly parents are afraid of being micromanaged by their children.

What can I do to help my parents age in place?

To help your parents comfortably “Age in place”, good fortune and excellent support services are prerequisites. Here are some tips to make sure that they age safely and comfortably in place:

• Start educating yourself well in advance about the technology, services, activities available for seniors. Many options at affordable prices are available in the market, you only have to find the right one according to the requirement and budget.
• Most importantly you could fix safety issues related to ageing like fire safety, bathroom falls for your parents.
• Small modifications in their home, especially in the kitchen and bathroom can make a lot of difference in keeping their abode age friendly and safe. Click here to know more.
• Create opportunities for your parents, where they can remain socially active. Engage them in intellectually stimulating activities. Click here to know more.
• Look to introduce them to hobbies like gardening, photography, travel etc.
• Respect their decision to age in place. Click here to know more.
• Look for signs when ageing in place is simply not advisable. Click here to know more. 

Conclusion

It is a win-win situation for both parents and children when parents age in place successfully. Lots of products and online services have come up in India which could be great help to your parents as they age in place. You could identify them for your parents or even better introduce them to your parents as gifts, if a comfort level is established with the service provider then half your job is done.