The decision to stay at home or move to an assisted living facility is a huge one.
In recent times many older citizens have fought hard to maintain their independence, living out their lives in their own homes on their own terms. And surely this is everyone’s right – to choose to stay in a home which is familiar, in a neighbourhood which we have known for years, if not decades. Maybe the home is the same one in which children were born, birthdays celebrated, loved ones welcomed. So many happy memories.
Successive federal governments (whether Liberal or Labor) have recognised this strong desire to “stay put” and have allocated increasing funds to assist older Australians living at home to have services – health and welfare – delivered to them. The role of carers is also belatedly receiving much more attention, and some gradual increases to their benefits are filtering through.

But whilst it seems a “no brainer” that most of us would like to live out our days in the comfort and security of our own homes, professionals who work day in and day out in the Aged Care sector often have a different perspective.
And this perspective is based upon the importance of staying connected. For many older people who do live alone are often unsupported and very isolated. Yes, they are maintaining their independence, but at what cost? The preparation of nutritious and tasty meals for one can become a chore – so their health suffers as they skip meals or rely on easy-to-prepare snacks. The loneliness and lack of regular connection with other generations, particularly for those too frail to get out and about very often, can easily lead to depression or lack of detection of more serious health issues. And the worst manifestation of isolated older “stay-at-homes” is usually found in the all-too-frequent headlines of neighbours failing to check on someone who has passed away, unnoticed, days or weeks previously.

There is no “right” answer to whether you should stay at home forever, or take the sometimes frightening leap into the unknown and move to an assisted living facility if it becomes increasingly difficult to live a full and productive life in your own dwelling. Adult children will often offer strong (and sometimes conflicting) opinions, and this can further confuse your decision-making. Your family doctor may also offer advice. No one can (or should!) decide for you. But it is worth knowing that a move to an aged care facility or nursing home is not necessarily a negative one – such homes can also be places of great love, care and companionship.

More about your options

Your comments welcomed

David’s Blog - “Mr Compost”

Do you ever stop to consider what the future holds for your children? What sort of world they will be living in and how it will differ from both your earlier experiences and even the present.
Unless you’ve been dwelling under a rock, you could not be unaware of “The Environment”! What is this thing called the environment and from where has it appeared? Why, only a few years ago, there was no talk, in the supermarkets and clubs, about the environment!

Now it seems that we are bombarded daily, from every quarter, about the seriousness of the situation, the dire threats to our way of life and even the survival of the species. We are exhorted, in the media and by our leaders, both locally and internationally, to be greener, leaner and keener in our pursuit of reducing, reusing and recycling.

For the older members of our cohort, these calls to action may stir distant memories of rationing in the forties and fifties and evoke the words of our parents when describing the “Great Depression”. But it’s a seismic shift for the baby boomer bred on consumption, and the economic tenet that the country’s prosperity equates to a steadily rising GDP!

So, assuming we’ve now managed to wrench our mindset away from continuous consumption and profligate waste, what can we, as individuals, do to address these environmental challenges? As with all fundamental and worthwhile change, when we attempt to redirect or redress long established “norms”, the task can appear just too daunting. Where to start? What impact can we, even as families or communities, possibly have on such a global challenge. Well, the old Chinese proverb, that even the longest journey starts with the first step, comes readily to mind.

Specifically, our first steps can be around our homes e.g. change all those old incandescent light globes to compact fluros, there are even “dimmable” versions available now, fit water-efficient shower heads, purchase a $3 egg-timer for your shower wall, divert the grey water from the bathrooms and laundry into the garden and, for the more adventurous, install that water tank, or those solar panels, or that heat pump. And then, there’s compost!

To comment, click here