← Return to What are your tips for staying independent at your own home?

Discussion

What are your tips for staying independent at your own home?

Aging Well | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (262)
Comment receiving replies
@thisismarilynb

I read with interest all the comments. The one thing I know that worked for me was being active many years ago. In my 40's I discovered race walking. I did this every day after work. I kept at it until I retired at the age of 67. At that time we were both retired and moved out of the area. I did not have access to a track, so I became a street walker (little joke there). I am now 90 years old! It's hard for me to believe I am that old. But I sincerely believe that all that exercise is why at my age I have no major illnesses causing me to take numerous drugs; why I have no signs of dementia; and why I can live independently. Unhappily my husband died three years ago after 62 years together. It has been tough. Another thing I did was to actually visit a couple of facilities to see what "living independently" was like. I was not impressed. The so-called apartments were extremely small and I would not be able to take very many of my things with me. So my choice is to stay in my home and when and if I need help, I will have home help.

Jump to this post

Replies to "I read with interest all the comments. The one thing I know that worked for me..."
pml | @pml | Feb 28 10:25pm

Hi Marilyn,
You make a lot of sense in what you say about keeping active! I don't do any fast walking but I do take heavy garbage down to the dumpster, clean the house, work in my flower gardens and prune shrubs etc. I noticed it makes a difference. I saw my doctor 2 weeks ago and he said I was so healthy that he didn't need to see me again for a year!

I'm so sorry about your husband dying. But wasn't it nice that you had 62 years together! And, I'm sure you know that he's up in Heaven with God and Jesus and the two of you will be together again eventually. My husband of 30 years died last July. You are right. It is difficult but knowing that he is also in Heaven and we'll eventually be together helps.

I want to stay in my home also. It's home and I have everything the way I want it. My husband was very talented in fixing and creating things in our home. He redid the outside steps so they were an easier height for us as we aged and it does make a difference. He re-wired parts of the house to save money, fixed anything that broke, framed in all our new windows etc. I don't want to give all that up for a small apartment.

You are doing great at 90! I'm 78 and hope I do as well as you when I'm 90.
I wish you the best.
PML

VIEW AND REPLY