What Does Successful Aging In Place Look Like?

by COURTNEY JEROME

As people age, most want to live in their homes for as long as they can, rather than move to a new and unfamiliar living environment. In fact, a national U-M poll recently discovered 88 percent of people between the ages of 50 and 80 find it important to live in their homes as long as possible.

However, in order to accomplish that, plans need to be prepared. “More Americans are choosing to age in place. That is, they opt to stay in their homes rather than move to alternative retirement settings,” says Leslie Knopp, co-owner of Comfort Keepers. The franchise organization she runs alongside her husband Russ Knopp has served Northwest Lower Michigan for more than 18 years. Their teams provide in-home care and other services that assist seniors in maintaining their independence.

“Aging in place has many benefits,” Knopp says. “Seniors who remain in their own homes as they age enjoy the consistency of belonging to communities where they may have lived for many years surrounded by friends and families. This offers both emotional and social benefits, as they have an already established support network.”

Knopp describes that the overall quality of life is better for seniors when they are as independent as possible, including participating in their communities in a meaningful way.

“Remaining in the home also avoids the stress of relocation and acclimating to new environments, and, even more compelling: aging in place can be cost-effective,” she says.

Comfort Keepers has locations both in Traverse City and Petoskey, allowing them to serve seniors from Manistee to the Mackinac Bridge. About 200 Comfort Keepers employees are passionate about the care they provide clients and their families throughout the area.

“Many families today are unaware of the many options available to assist seniors in their homes,” Knopp explains. “When loved ones begin to demonstrate difficulty with certain daily tasks, family members may automatically believe that it is time for assisted living or a nursing home. However, these are not necessarily the best options. Today, the senior care industry and new technologies make it possible for older adults to continue to live in their own homes safely and with assistance.”

Services with Comfort Keepers include: meal delivery, household maintenance, safety checks, emergency response assistance, transportation, medical needs, personal care, nutrition and health care coordination. With new technology tools being developed all the time, they are, “Staying on top of it so we can offer that kind of alternative to people who do want to stay in their homes all the way to the end of life—it’s possible,” says Knopp.

Part of their process is to meet with seniors and/or their family members to collaborate on a comprehensive, custom and curated plan that’s individualized to their needs.

“When someone is serious in exploring options, we meet with people in their homes and start a conversation to learn what the issues are, what their pain is, what their concerns and worries are, and to start developing a solution with them that addresses their needs within their budget,” Knopp says.

“There’s no single-one answer to how we can help,” she adds, explaining they partner with a strong network of senior-serving area organizations to provide care, inclusive of the Commission on Aging, Bay Area Senior Advocates and many medical providers and hospice organizations. “It’s a process of communication, learning, and constantly making sure the solution we originally developed is still meeting all the needs.”