Home maintenance is a chore for some and a joy for others yet is a great way to stay active and healthy. Even with good health, aging may impede your ability to care for your home in an appropriate fashion. Common problems such as osteoporosis (thin bones) or balance issues may not make you feel unhealthy but can seriously increase the risk of injury from falls. The realization that you can no longer care for your home adequately may be gradual or may come suddenly after you have had a serious accident.
To age in your home successfully, it is smart to plan for upkeep well in advance of the need, and create agreements on how and to whom these jobs will be transitioned to in the future. The agreements should summarize the following:
The most common activities that need to be transitioned first involve climbing and the use of potentially dangerous equipment, such as power tools for the yard. Eventually, heavy duty house cleaning and yard upkeep will need to be relinquished, and finally, routine activities may need to be done by others.
Discussing payment is a tough subject for many family members. Some may offer to help out of love and kindness but you must be careful not to inadvertently take advantage of them. By spelling out in advance the expectations on both sides, this situation can be mitigated.
There are a number of important considerations when creating a family agreement.
With good preparation and communication, it is more likely you can age at home safely and keep your family happy in the process.