These Are Useful Things To Have For Any Older Person Living Alone

It’s a fortunate thing to be able to watch loved ones age into their older years, but that privilege can also bring concerns about their ability to live alone safely and maintain a level of independence they may understandably desire. 

Susan DeMarois, director of the California Department of Aging, said that most older adults want to age in place. She said the benefits include a continued sense of independence, living in a familiar space in which a person is comfortable and maintaining community connections.  

Everyone deserves to live with dignity and access the highest quality of life that they are capable of and wish to have, said Richard J. Mollot, executive director for New York’s non-profit Long Term Care Community Coalition.

“This doesn’t change with age,” he said via email. “However, the parameters within which these rights can be safely exercised might change, depending on the individual’s needs and wishes.”

According to both DeMarois and Mollot, such parameters might include home modifications that can make a space safer and accommodating for concerns like limited mobility.   

“There may also be a need for help with transportation, meals, cleaning or home maintenance and personal care,” DeMarois said, adding that utilizing local services can be one of the most holistic ways of accessing resourses, education and support.  

Some of these include government food and nutrition programs, fall-prevention programs that can provide and install low-cost modifications to the home and community adult services that can integrate health and social needs.

“The best advice I can offer to loved ones who want to support an older adult who is living alone is to keep the lines of communication open,” DeMarois said. “Have regular conversations about how the situation is working, if changes need to be made, and what else the older adult needs to feel comfortable and secure at home.”

While these care experts did not endorse any specific products, we utilized the resources they provided to build a list of items that might be helpful for any older person to have at home. Keep reading to find ADA-compliant grab rails, highly rated caretaker alert systems and tablets meant to keep your loved one connected.