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Forbes
27-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
Solo Agers Can Benefit By Planning A Move Before A Crisis Hits
Designed for community living In today's aging-in-place oriented environment, many older adults are determined to stay in their homes indefinitely. However, when they experience a significant change to their health, that conviction tends to fall apart. These health changes often result in the unsuitability (or significant difficulty) of living independently, which often leads to individuals and families looking more seriously at a safer, more secure living situation in a senior living community. A study by the Geriatrics Healthcare Professionals and published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society looked more closely at how and why these changes in attitude come about. The objective of the qualitative study was to 'understand what influences older adults to change their attitude and plans about aging in place (AIP) versus living in long-term care settings.' Influences found in the study included: One key result of the study was the following: over a 36 month period, close to half of the older adults in the study changed their minds about whether to age in place or in long-term care. For older adults with family support, these kinds of decisions are often the focus of ongoing discussions about what is the best path for the elder. These discussions can go on for years or occur solely at a crisis point. But what about solo agers, those who don't have the benefit of family support or input on this decision? What wisdom can be derived for solo agers from this study of how and why people change their minds about aging-in-place versus long-term care? I think flexibility is key here. Many of the solo agers I've spoken with about their long-term planning believe they will be able to age safely and securely in their current home. That might be true if they have a vibrant and multi-generational support system around them and a home that is adaptable to their changing needs. In terms of 'vibrant and multi-generational,' the best example I can think of is the support system one generally has in a co-housing community. In my book, Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers, I told the story of Anna and Greg, a Taiwanese couple without children or family in the U.S. After assessing the challenges of growing old in their single-family home, they decided to sell their large, two-story home and move into a cohousing community. That was in 2014. When I checked in with them for this story they told me things had worked out pretty much as they had planned. They have formed close bonds with many of the other members of the community and have had the opportunity to help and support some of the older community members who have become ill or passed away during the last 11 years. They feel certain that the same kind of emotional support will be available when one or both of them need it. Cohousing isn't for everyone. Most people look to more established forms of congregate living when they sense they are at a crossroads, emotionally or physically. Congregate living is one way of describing what is commonly called 'senior living.' It can take many different forms, from almost complete independence to skilled nursing, with assisted living and memory care falling somewhere in the middle. One of the concerns that many older adults have about senior living is that it is cost prohibitive and that home care, if and when needed, would take a smaller bite out of their retirement and savings income. That doesn't always turn out to be true. Genworth's 2024 cost-of-care survey for the U.S. found that the yearly median home health aide cost was just under $80,000, where the median assisted living community was just over $70,000. annually. Both of these services can go a long way toward keeping an elder out of a skilled nursing facility, which tallies up at well over $100,000. annually. Any of the services mentioned above usually involve a family member to help determine the choices and coordinate the contract or move. Solo agers often do not have such a family helper, which makes it very important to plan ahead and make appropriate choices before the need manifests itself in an emergency.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
How having a positive attitude could help older people recover from injuries faster
A new study suggests that a 'positive attitude' towards ageing could aid recovery after sustaining injuries in a fall. Falls among older adults are a significant public health issue, prompting researchers from Imperial College London and Coventry University to investigate whether "mindsets around ageing" could lessen their impact. The study involved 694 individuals in England aged 60 to 90 who had not experienced a fall in the two years prior. Researchers analysed data on falls alongside survey responses gauging participants' beliefs and attitudes about ageing. Factors such as walking pace, activity levels, and the need for assistance with daily tasks like dressing or bathing after a fall were also assessed. The findings indicate that those with more positive perceptions of ageing – for example, believing that ageing did not hinder their ability to do what they wanted – tended to recover better after a fall. 'We found that older individuals who had more positive self-perceptions of ageing at baseline were better protected against negative physical consequences following a fall,' they wrote in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. People who had the highest possible score on the 'self-perceptions of ageing' measurements – or having the most positive mindset about ageing – had 162% lower odds of showing slow walking speed, 200% lower odds of being dependent on others to perform daily living activities and were 123% less likely to be inactive following a fall, compared to those who were not positive about ageing. Study co-lead Dr Toby Ellmers, from Imperial College London's Department of Brain Sciences, said: 'Those who expressed more positive feelings about their own ageing seemed to be protected against worse physical consequences after a fall. 'There was substantial difference in the rate of physical recovery in the people we studied, and this seemed to be linked to their initial beliefs about growing older. 'Our results suggest that changing the way that some older people view their ageing process could play a key role in improving recovery and wellbeing. 'It's even possible that simple 'tweaks' to help people develop a more positive mindset around ageing, such as having discussions with a friend or relative about the positives associated with ageing, could help. 'This is something we are very keen to explore in future research.' Study co-lead Dr Mathew Hill, from Coventry University's Research Centre for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Sciences, added: 'Although we knew from previous research that negative mindsets and beliefs about ageing are associated with increased risk of negative health outcomes, such as stroke and mortality, this is the first research linking these specifically to physical recovery after a fall.'
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Elderly people who have a positive attitude towards ageing will recover better if they fall, study suggests
Elderly people who have a positive attitude towards ageing will recover better if they have a fall, a new study suggests. Falls in older adults are a 'major public health concern' as they can lead to disability and hospitalisation, impacting on people's ability to live independently, researchers said. The consequences of falls cost the NHS an estimated £5million a day but the experts noted not every victim experiences physical decline as they set out to investigate whether the impact of a fall could be mitigated by 'mindsets around ageing'. The teams from Imperial College London and Coventry University examined information on 694 people aged 60 to 90 in England who had not had a fall in the two years before the study. As well as studying data on falls, experts also examined survey responses that measured mindsets and beliefs about ageing. Researchers assessed their walking pace, whether or not they were active and whether they needed help with daily activities, such as dressing, bathing or getting out of bed, after they had a fall. Those who had initially shown more 'positive' ageing mindsets – such as believing that ageing was not stopping them doing what they wanted to do – appeared to have a better recovery after a fall, the academics found. 'We found that older individuals who had more positive self-perceptions of ageing at baseline were better protected against negative physical consequences following a fall,' they wrote in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. People who had the highest possible score on the 'self-perceptions of ageing' measurements – or having the most positive mindset about ageing – had 162 per cent lower odds of showing slow walking speed, 200 per cent lower odds of being dependent on others to perform daily living activities and were 123 per cent less likely to be inactive following a fall, compared to those who were not positive about ageing. About one in three people aged 65 years and over have a fall at least once each year, increasing to one in two people aged 80 years and over, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). There are over 210,000 falls-related emergency hospital admissions among people aged 65 years and over each year, with two in three of these among people aged 80 and over. Previous studies show falls are the main cause of injury, injury-related disability, and death in older people, with around half of falls result in major cuts, traumatic brain injuries, or fractures. Dr Toby Ellmers, who co-lead the latest research at Imperial College London, said: 'Those who expressed more positive feelings about their own ageing seemed to be protected against worse physical consequences after a fall. 'There was substantial difference in the rate of physical recovery in the people we studied, and this seemed to be linked to their initial beliefs about growing older. 'Our results suggest that changing the way that some older people view their ageing process could play a key role in improving recovery and wellbeing. 'It's even possible that simple 'tweaks' to help people develop a more positive mindset around ageing, such as having discussions with a friend or relative about the positives associated with ageing, could help. 'This is something we are very keen to explore in future research.' Fellow co-lead Dr Mathew Hill, from Coventry University, added: 'Although we knew from previous research that negative mindsets and beliefs about ageing are associated with increased risk of negative health outcomes, such as stroke and mortality, this is the first research linking these specifically to physical recovery after a fall.'
