When thinking of our loved ones aging in place, it’s tempting to think their home will remain clean and orderly and they will happily and safely live in it. Of course, life often gets in the way and messes and disorganization can result. Papers can start piling and items might not always get put away. Sometimes clutter accumulates on couches and sometimes on the floor. Either way, an out-of-place item can pose a falling risk.
Falls at Home
In fact, the home is a prime location for falls — which are the leading cause of injuries and injury death in those 65 and older — according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than one out of four older people falls each year. And some of those falls are serious enough they can end their lives or take away their independence.
About one out of five falls causes a severe injury such as a broken bone or a head injury. These injuries can make it hard for a person to get around, do everyday activities or live on their own, notes the CDC. Also, falling once doubles a person’s chances of falling again.
How We Can Help
The good news is there are ways to reduce the risk of falls. One simple way is to create and maintain an organized home. It also helps to have an orderly home if your loved ones have to move. That way there is less to move (and less stress) if they have to downsize and/or go to assisted living.
But it’s not so simple for our loved ones to throw out or donate items that they might no longer need, especially if they’re sentimental in nature. That’s where we can help. At Life Managers & Associates, we work with our clients and their families to develop a systematic way of getting the home organized and offer a wide variety of solutions. If certain family members want to help with the organization, we will put a plan together involving them, too.
Financial Organization
We can also help with organizing financial items. We can develop filing systems, consolidate papers and shred documents to help your loved one stay ahead of their monthly bills and obligations.
Whatever your goals are with home organization, we can meet them. While you’re getting ready to organize, you and your loved ones might also be interested in getting a to determine the feasibility of safely aging in place over the long term. LMA offers the Assess Your Home package to give you and your loved ones a full accounting of what needs to be updated in the home or not. The assessment might even make you reconsider aging in place and if you need to explore other options. We can help with that, too.
Assess Your Home Package: Life Managers & Associates’ Assess Your Home package is conducted by a National Association of Home Builders Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS), who thoroughly reviews the home and identifies modification options — both major or minor — to support aging in place.
Life Managers & Associates manages the details of life with the same care as a loving family member to enable clients to live independently. We help them feel safe and supported — saving money and alleviating stress for all.