DO you ever catch yourself saying that you will never move again or that they will have to carry you out of your home in a box?
If so, it’s great that you are happy with where you live.
But chances are that, as you continue to age, your home will start to let you down a little bit or even a lot. You may be able to overcome this without moving or you may not.
You have to think about what could go wrong and think of things you would be able to do to make sure you can keep your independence.
It is good planning to look at the design and features of your home and think about what you can do to help you to be as safe and independent as possible.
Keeping your independence means not going into a nursing home.
To help you with assessing how well your home will allow you to keep your independence, CPSA has produced a booklet, How sure are you that you will never move again? This booklet aims to give you a list of things to consider about your home or any home you might be considering moving into. It’s not exhaustive but is intended as an introduction to home accessibility and safety for older people.
CPSA enlisted the help of an occupational therapist specialised in advising people about the accessibility of their homes to put this booklet together.
Even if you are convinced that, whatever happens, you will be able to muddle through, you should read How sure are you that you will never move again? You might muddle better.
Home accessibility and safety are defined as the capacity of a home to accommodate the needs of people with limited mobility, reduced vision or other impairments.
The degree of the accessibility of your home affects how well you would be able to cope with mobility and vision issues that can develop as you age.
The degree of accessibility of your home also affects how socially connected you will continue to be, which is linked to your mental health and how well you feel generally.
How sure are you that you will never move again? is available online or, if you are unable to access it online, by ringing CPSA on 1800 451 488.
