Staying Healthy
Is aging in place right for you?
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
If you're planning to stay in your home as long as possible, here are some steps you should take.
Consider your health, the safety of your home, and the resources available in your community. The following questions can help you think this all though. If you answer yes to any of these questions, talk with your doctor. Share the answers with your family and consider reaching out to an aging-in-place specialist who might also be able to help determine if remaining in your home is a safe option for you.
Questions to ask
- Do you have any physical health conditions that might limit your mobility, such as arthritis?
- Do you have any conditions that could affect your mental function, such as Alzheimer's or another type of dementia?
- Does your home have features that could make it hard to get around safely, such as stairs, narrow doorways, or poorly lit areas?
- Would home modifications be too expensive for you to afford?
- Do you live alone?
- Do your children or other family members live more than 30 miles away?
- Do you live beyond walking distance from parks and other safe recreational areas?
- Are you responsible for all the care and maintenance of your home, including gardening and snow removal?
- Have you stopped driving?
For more on how to protect your health, independence and security as you age, check out Aging in Place, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.
Image: © AJ_Watts/Getty Images
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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