Aging In Place
Oswego County Habitat for Humanity’s new Aging in Place strategy helps older adults age in place in the homes and communities they love.
Through the Aging in Place program, Oswego County Habitat for Humanity partners with families, communities and local organizations to offer products and services that foster safe, livable homes and communities, improving the quality of life for older adults. In many areas, Oswego Habitat uses Aging in Place strategies when working with older adult homeowners which includes two different assessments to make sure homeowner’s needs are understood.
The first is completed by a health or human services professional who has a conversation with the homeowners about their activities of daily living, such as how they pay bills, clean their homes, communicate with others, run errands and shop. The second assessment includes a home repair evaluation by a construction specialist from the Oswego County Habitat for Humanity organization.
The assessments allow Oswego Habitat to provide modifications specific to each homeowner’s lifestyle. For example, installing lever door handles, ramps, rails and raised toilets could make the home more accessible for older adults. Additional community resources, such as Meals on Wheels, also may be recommended to make life easier and more comfortable for older residents. Combining repairs and modifications along with an understanding of community resources allows homeowners to remain safely and securely in their homes as they age.
Seeking opportunities to collaborate with the health care sector, the Aging in Place program is based on research showing that people with functional limitations and chronic conditions are four times more likely than the general population to experience high-cost health care utilization. Low-income older adults are at much higher risk of chronic disease and disability because of reduced access to primary care and an increased probability of living in substandard and deteriorating housing.
The home environment can be a barrier or an enabler to function safely but when intervention exist on three levels: psychological (personal aspirations and behavior), physiological (physical condition and functional abilities) and environmental (condition and layout of home and use of adaptive devices). The expertise of an occupational therapist, or OT; a registered nurse, or RN; and a handyperson are used as an interprofessional team that includes the older adult client. Together this team pursues person-driven goal setting and action steps through home visits guided by the CAPABLE (Community Aging in Place-Advancing Better Living for Elders) model. The person-driven and team approach are core elements of the program. The OT works with the client to identify and prioritize functional activities of daily living, assess performance, and determine obstacles and environmental barriers. Together, the OT and the client brainstorm ways to attain functional goals, with the OT helping to identify assistive devices, equipment and other supplies that can augment function while improving the quality of life in a holistic manner.
Over the next 20 years, households in their 80s will be the fastest-growing age group. Older residents often provide stability in their communities. We invite you to honor and assist them today by making a gift to Oswego County Habitat for Humanity, Inc. as we partner with older adults and support them as they “Age in Place”.