Tips & Tricks for Aging Well at Home 

Avenues by Brio Living Services believes that you should be able to age how you want, where you want. A 2023 US News Report poll indicates that 93% of adults in the United States want to age at home. If you fall into this category, here are some “tips and tricks” to start planning for your aging at home journey.

1. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: There is often a lot of unknown when it comes to what the future holds, health-wise, for us.  What we do know is that our health choices today can dramatically affect the quality of our future aging journey. Focus on a balanced diet, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and managing stress to support overall health and well-being as you age. The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes (30 minutes 5 days a week) each week of moderate exercise. This might look like a slow-paced walk, swimming, gentle yoga, or taking a fitness class. Be in the driver’s seat of your health journey as it could make all the difference in your overall aging experience.  
2. Stay Socially Active: Maintaining connections with friends, family, other professionals, etc. can be a challenging thing to do as we age. These connections, however, are what give us a sense of purpose, promote mental and emotional well-being, and help combat feelings of loneliness as we age. Consider engaging with a diverse set of friendships or acquaintances. Engaging with people from different age groups, different cultural backgrounds, or even different religious backgrounds can generate thought-provoking conversation and ideas. 
3. Keep Your Mind Sharp: According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, engaging in mentally stimulating activities like reading books, doing puzzles, or playing games can significantly reduce the rate of cognitive decline in older adults. The study found that individuals who regularly participated in mentally challenging activities had a 32% lower rate of cognitive decline compared to those who did not engage in such activities. Find small ways to do this: read the newspaper each morning, a small excerpt from a book, or spend 20 minutes a day on a puzzle.
4. Prioritize Preventive Healthcare: Stay proactive about your health by scheduling regular check-ups, screenings, and vaccinations. Review your medication list with your doctor every year to ensure that you have a thorough understanding of what medications you are taking and why you are taking them. Address any health concerns promptly to prevent complications. Consider using geriatric specialists for your medical providers as they offer a unique perspective on aging and innovative solutions to aging-related health issues.   
5. Stay Positive and Adapt: Embrace a positive outlook, practice gratitude, and be adaptable to life's changes. Focus on what you can control and maintain a resilient mindset to navigate challenges effectively as you age. Lean into your spiritual beliefs, stay connected with friendships for support, or even consider grief groups as a way of staying in tune with any emotions that might come up throughout your aging journey.   
6. Be Open to Home Modifications: Aging in your home, a place that feels familiar, safe, and comfortable, has some nuance to it. While 93% of older adults want to age in their current home, a 2023 Harvard study on aging in place found that only 21% of older adults are willing to make modifications to their homes to accommodate aging-related needs. Stay open to the idea that you may need to make home modifications to age safely and successfully at home. This might include rearranging furniture for mobility, removing rugs from the home, incorporating assistive devices into your daily life (walkers, shower chairs, grab bars, canes, etc.), purchasing an emergency fall button, etc.  
7. Plan for the Future: It is never too early to start planning ahead for your aging journey. If you want to age in the comfort and familiarly of your home, it is essential that you are asking yourself the question, “who is going to help me age at home?” Will you be asking your friends or family members to be your caregivers? Would you consider an aging in place program like Avenues by Brio Living Services to help you age successfully at home? The reality of aging at home is that we will all eventually need support. It is up to you to take action to ensure that you have a plan in place to do this successfully.  

Avenues by Brio Living Services 

Avenues by Brio Living Services is an innovative program that allows you to maintain independence as you age in the comfort and convenience of your own home. 

Avenues provides a lifetime of continuing care with the security of knowing that, as you age, care will be accessible, paid for, and managed through your Avenues membership.  

Want to learn more? Contact us at (616) 914-1172 or visit our website.