Aging in Place

A vast majority of older adults say they prefer to age in place. But aging life care managers say that staying at home requires thoughtful planning, enough help, and a clear understanding of what older adults can and cannot do on their own.

“Aging in place helps us maintain access to resources in the community and social connections; it supports our independence,” Emily Nabors, associate director of Innovation for the National Council on Aging, explained to Kiplinger. “Homes are places of comfort and privacy and security and they contain our memories. Homes are where so much of our lives take place and they can really be part of our identity.”

Research shows that adults 65 and older prefer staying in their own home primarily because they want to maintain their independence. A 2026 survey supports this claim. The survey by LogicMark and Talker Research found that seniors were more afraid of losing their independence than they were afraid of financial hardships, and even of decline or death.

“Older adults aren’t asking for help— they’re asking for autonomy,” LogicMark’s CEO Chia-Lin Simmons, said in a press release.

While nearly nine in 10 survey participants (89 percent) said aging in place is important to them, only 19 percent said they have had a detailed conversation with their family members about it. Forty-nine percent of participants said they have not had conversations with their loved ones about what they want.

Because seniors aren’t having important conversations about wanting to stay in their homes, most are aging in silence, Simmons said in the press release.

Aging life care managers advise seniors to plan ahead for staying in their homes, but this requires having in-depth conversations with family members and a caregiving plan.

“Most people picture a caregiving crisis as something that happens suddenly,” Simmons said in the press release. “The data shows a slower, more subtle crisis building from avoided conversations and families waiting for a health event to force the discussion. By then, the options have already narrowed.”

When making a care plan for aging in place, the experts say there are five factors to take into account:

1. Yourself

Consider your health, mobility, cognitive abilities, and relationships. For example, if you have a spouse or partner, what would happen to you if the person dies or is hospitalized, Nina Pflumm Herndon, a board member for the Aging Life Care Association, asked. Would you be able to cook, manage your finances, and maintain your home?

Carol Chiang, an occupational therapist and owner of Evolving Homes, a consulting business in Jacksonville, Fla., that helps people plan to age in their homes, suggests thinking about what is important for you to do. Consider your physical abilities “because you can’t age in place if you can’t bring in groceries,” she told Kiplinger.

2. Your Home

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 11 million housing units had a stair-free entryway, a bedroom and full bathroom on the first floor, and at least one bathroom accessibility feature, the report said.

Aging in place experts recommend modifying your home to minimize falls and make it easier to get around, especially in the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. For example, Chiang suggests that if you have bottom cabinets in the kitchen, replace them with drawers to eliminate the need to bend over to reach to the back of a cabinet. People can fall by leaning on unsteady cabinet doors while looking around, or when crouching to search, she said.

3. Your Support System

Most older adults rely on their family members to help them when necessary. However, aging life care managers recommend talking to them in advance to find out what they are willing and able to do for you. For example, are they strong enough to help you with showering and going to the bathroom?

Also, you may need to consider paid professionals for activities you can’t do or would rather not do, such as mowing your lawn, cleaning, or making meals. You may also require aging life care managers and home modification occupational therapists, who can evaluate and pinpoint potential problems and solutions.

4. Your Community

Determine whether your community supports aging in place. For example, does it offer transportation and quality health care? Are there places for older adults to connect, such as senior centers, libraries, churches, temples? Does your community offer helpful resources?

Chiang suggests thinking about what brings meaning to your life and whether it’s available in your community.

“It starts really with introspection and looking out like what do I love about my community? And what do I like? What are the activities in my life that are non-negotiable?” Chiang told Kiplinger. “I think that community is a two-pronged thing. One is functional; what are the resources available… Your community is about not being alone.”

5. When You Can No Longer Stay Home

When the assistance you need is more than what can be provided at your home, then aging in place is no longer an option, according to researcher Kenneth Lam, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

Lam noted that 75 percent of moves into a nursing home come after hospitalizations, and the average age at which people make these moves is 84.

“The average person who goes into a nursing home is, in the months before they go in, getting help with three activities of daily living,” such as dressing, bathing, getting out of bed, eating, toileting, and showering,” Lam told Kiplinger.
75 Is the Right Age to Plan for Aging in Place

Harry Margolis, an elder law attorney and author of Get Your Ducks in a Row, believes that 75 is an ideal age for people to know whether aging in place is the best for them. In an interview with TheStreet, Margolis noted that by age 75, most people are “settled.” By “settled,” Margolis means:

• They’re not under pressure to sell their house and move into a nursing home or assisted living facility.

• They’re probably still healthy and can move away if they want to.

• They’re probably mentally competent and able to make decisions judiciously.

• They’re mobile and can still move around

• They still have a pretty good understanding of their finances.

• They know which of their adult children may be able to help them or whether living closer to them makes sense.

Margolis said he understands why it’s hard for people to move because it’s where people feel comfortable and where they have community. He also notes that not everyone needs to move. However, seniors must keep in mind that their houses need to be maintained, driving may pose safety risks if their mobility declines, and it might be difficult for their children to come and help if they live far away. Age 75 is a good time to stop and evaluate these things and then plan ahead.

“Everybody ages differently, but it’s a time to think about it, talk to your family and make some decisions about the future,” Margolis said.

Story Links:

https://www.mcknightsseniorliving.com/news/survey-of-senior-living-residents-and-families-reveals-a-striking-contradiction-related-to-aging-in-place/
https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/how-to-plan-for-aging-in-place-key-factors
https://www.aol.com/articles/why-age-75-may-time-193300000.html