No matter our daily living situation, the older we get, the more our circumstances change. While living at home, seniors are finding that they need assistance, from personal care to running errands:

"The stairs are getting so hard to climb."

"Since my wife died, I just open a can of soup for dinner."

"I've lived here 40 years. No other place will seem like home."

Seniors are expressing a strong preference for staying at home as they progress in age. The quotes above, taken from the NIH National Institute on Aging, illustrates a refrain now heard all around the country ¹.

More Seniors Want Assisted Living At Home 

Research from a study conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs came out about what Americans want for themselves in the future. An area of the study focused on seniors suggests that discussing the difficulties seniors have with daily tasks with family members would be a worthwhile endeavor.

88% of American seniors want continued assistance at home or with a family member as they age into their golden years. Only 12% of seniors in the study preferred a nursing home or senior community. The study shows how strong the sentiment toward independence is for seniors but recognizes that they will need help to remain safe and comfortable at home ².

Issues Around Seniors Receiving Assisted Living Care

Another critical consideration are the costs. Financial difficulties are a common thread among why Americans haven't planned for aging in place. There are changes to long-term senior care under evaluation at the Federal level. Areas of focus revolved around cost and a lack of available caregivers. Americans are split as to what agency and at what level they should be paying for America's aging adults. There is debate as to whether long-term Care Insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid can be bolstered to absorb the financial blow of senior care costs. The Associated Press-NORC study points out the importance of early discussions about aging, long-term care insurance, and retirement preparations for in-home assistance.

How Can We Plan for the Future?

Here are a few ways that you can check on the seniors in your life:

1. Talk to a family member or senior acquaintance about their assisted living plans.
2. Find out what needs or concerns a senior may have about aging at home so family members can do more research.
3. Look into both community and government resources if you are unable to find help from family.

Even if your golden years are much farther off, someday you hope to live in comfort and independence, and so do the older adults in our lives. As a community, we can create a means and space for in-home care for everyone. Discuss your senior living plan with people you know and learn more about home care services near you.

Sources

1. “Aging in Place: Growing Older at Home.” National Institute on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nia.nih.gov/health/aging-place-growing-older-home.
2. Malato, Dan, et al. “LONG-TERM CARE IN AMERICA: AMERICANS WANT TO AGE AT HOME.” Long Term Care Poll, The Associated Press, May 2021.
3. “FACT SHEET: The American Jobs Plan.” The White House, The United States Government, 4 May 2021, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/.