1. < Aging Well

What plans are you making to age at home?

Posted by alive @alive, Jun 4, 2022

While I am not at a point where I need assistance and still able to take care of myself, my house etc, I am very much concerned about the time when I will need assistance. My husband and I live in a two story house and plan to eventually install a chair lift to be able to navigate the stairs better. One thing I am adamant about is that I want to remain in my home for the rest of my life. I don’t like the idea of going to assistant living or a nursing home. For those of you who are at a point of needing assistance, how are you able to make it work and remain at home? I know that resources differ based on where one lives, but where did you start with your search for help and are you satisfied with the assistance you are getting?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

EllAmster | @ellamster | Jun 9, 2022
In reply to @elimseoj "Hi @carolee888, I hope that your cousin is well again. Hip fractures used to be fatal..." + (show)
@elimseoj

Hi @carolee888,

I hope that your cousin is well again. Hip fractures used to be fatal after a year or so. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3118151/ My argument with our doctor was that our roof is only 20 feet up, but now I realize that I can break a hip falling from a curb.

Our roof is flat and we have canales https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photography-southwestern-style-canale-gutter-drainage-image8118437; there are no gutters as we knew them in Michigan. That is common in our area. 9 inches of rain is the annual average and half of the that is during 3 months starting in July. Trees taller than the houses are not common. Our HVAC is on the rooftop and so we need to change the filters there at least twice a year and at the same time inspect the roof for any damage. Since it is a reflective white, it helps to hose it off at least once a year to keep the brown dust buildup to a minimum. We hire someone else to do it all. There are resources to help seniors that can't afford to maintain their houses.

We don't have enough medical resources for many specialty services. One must travel at least an hour to El Paso or 3 hours to Albuquerque. That, though, is why we have been in Rochester the last 13 months as my wife battles lung cancer. We were here for 9 months in 2007 for her successful battle, thanks to Mayo, with breast cancer. That care brought us back here frequently over the 15 years for her check-ups. Well worth it!! It has been worth staying here these 13 months too!!! We plan to stay until she wins the battle.

Jump to this post

Are there therapies to increase the bone density?

REPLY
1 reply
elimseoj | @elimseoj | Jun 9, 2022
In reply to @carolee888 "My cousin is fine. Long ago, my grandmother fell down a short stairway, broke her hip..." + (show)
@carolee888

My cousin is fine. Long ago, my grandmother fell down a short stairway, broke her hip and was bed bond for two years, then she died of two heart attacks. One aunt fell and broke her hip and was contined to a wheelchair. Her sister moved across the road to take cate of her and then broke her hip also. Died later in a nursing home with dementia and parkinson's disease. Do you keep up with the scans for osteoperosis/osteopenia? My bone density has very good numbers except for my letf hip!

Jump to this post

HI @carolee888
I feel happy that your cousin is fine and relate to the loss of your aunts.

When I was 65, Mayo did the bone density test on me and, thankfully, all was well. No indication for a need for more testing I guess. I hope they find a way to help your left hip's density.

REPLY
alive | @alive | Jun 10, 2022
In reply to @ess77 "@alive, @IndianaScott, @sueinmn, and all... I'm now in my 4th downsizing...4th and final, thank the good..." + (show)
@ess77

@alive, @IndianaScott, @sueinmn, and all...
I'm now in my 4th downsizing...4th and final, thank the good Lord. I have lived in this 2 story condo for 30 years, with several years also living with my fiance in his home, with pool/pool house, decks, porch, garden-small, 2 car garage and he had a lot of tosols, tractor-mower, etc. I helped him downsize when he moved to my condo with 3 garage sales, and selling online. Etc.

I've done the same for my mother. Then, after my fiance died in a car accident, I had an estate sale, sold some things online and with a dealer.

Now, since he and I planned renovations to my condo, I've been living in a partially renovated home for several years, as I dealt with multiple medical issues and hospitalizations. I have most of my furniture in storage!

Well. Friday, I had a plumber to repair my sons sink, asked if he knew anyone who could help me with repairs, etc, he gave me a card. Called and she visited this morning. A delightful, female contractor! I love her!

She will be over this weekend to repair wall, ceiling, tile damage after another plumber cuts into 3 baths, LR, DR to replace a cracked, leaking cast iron drainage pipe.

Quite a saga....her 23 year old daughter will help me organize, set up a final estate sale inside my LR,DR, list online and have a dealer friend sell some items. Then, the contractor will repair, paint, tile, redo kitchen and my storage unit will be empty....my home will have ONLY what I want and need for this last leg of life. I love this.

She's also repaving and walling my patio. I'm clearing out plants as we. This is a good thing...

Been wanting to get to this place for years, too many medical issues, and now, with iron infusions and God's guidance I have a real, workable plan.

I now must calm, relax, breath, and not overdo so this plan will work.

Be well. Be happy. Be blessed as we walk this crazy journey through aging! Elizabeth

Jump to this post

I am glad to see that you have several people helping you with downsizing and making the needed repairs to the house. My husband and I have done everything ourselves in the past, but now are slowly hiring contractors to do some jobs that would be to challenging physically for us to do. We still take on some projects ourselves. I am remodeling my shower, but it’s taking too much time, since I have to stop and watch multiple YouTube videos on how to do each step. Lol

REPLY
water2loo6 | @water2loo6 | Jun 10, 2022
In reply to @carolee888 "Have checked out those gutter things on TV that prevent things from getting to your gutters?..." + (show)
@carolee888

Have checked out those gutter things on TV that prevent things from getting to your gutters? I can't remember the name but they seem very effective. My cousin was on a ladder and fell off and broke her hip!

Have you checked with your local senior center on that last question.

We considered moving to New Mexico but were deterred by the lack of hospitals and specialists. Do you have enough medical resources where you are in New Mexico?

Jump to this post

New Mexico is critically short of doctors and other medical people. If you move here, be prepared to travel to Houston or Arizona for any specialty care.
Best wishes,
Martha

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.