Aging in Place: What, Why and How to Make It Work in Charlotte, NC

Key Takeaways

Aging in place means living safely and independently in your own home, and nearly 90% of adults 65 and over say they’d prefer it to moving to a senior living community, according to USC research.
Home ownership without a mortgage, familiarity with your neighborhood and a sense of independence are the top reasons older adults choose to age in place.
Only 15% of older adults have adequately planned for home modifications, per the National Poll on Healthy Aging, even though most want to age in place.
The Barclay at SouthPark offers Independent Living, with Briar Creek at The Barclay providing Assisted Living, Memory Support, Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation on the same campus if care needs change.

The Barclay at SouthPark discusses aging in place in Charlotte, NC, to help older adults and their families make the right decision for their future.

What Is Aging in Place?

Aging in place is the ability of older adults to live safely, independently and comfortably in their own home and community as they age, without having to move to a senior living community.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines aging in place as “the ability to live in one’s own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably regardless of age, income or ability level.”

It’s a concept that older adults may embrace as a way of remaining within a familiar environment that allows them to maintain routines with which they are comfortable. It is also viewed as enhancing their ability to maintain independence. A study by the University of Southern California reported that nearly 90% of adults ages 65 and over wish to remain within their homes rather than move into a senior living community, whether it’s Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care or Skilled Nursing.

Why Do Older Adults Choose to Age in Place?

Financial Benefits

Financially, aging in place can be beneficial to older adults. Approximately 20% of Americans ages 65+ own their own homes and do not have monthly mortgage payments. Others may determine that they are able to convert equity in their home into income through the Federal Housing Administration’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgage.

Retirement communities are often thought to be more expensive. While considering that perception, it’s essential to take into account all of the expenses that might be covered in the price of a senior living community, i.e., meals, maintenance, utilities, etc.

Familiarity

There is comfort in the familiar. This is especially true for older adults who have lived in their homes for years or even decades. Not only do they know their house: its layout, quirks, squeaks and banging pipes, but they are also familiar and comfortable. The same is true with the neighborhood: the grocery store, the doctor’s office and the kid next door who will shovel your walk. This familiarity provides comfort, but it also provides a sense of security.

Independence

Adults, especially older adults, treasure their independence and control over their lives. They want to make choices for their meals, their activities, and where they go and when. There is the (mis)conception that they may lose their independence if they live somewhere other than their homes.

Independence doesn’t have to mean doing everything alone, though. Communities that offer Independent Living are designed around the same freedom and control residents value in their own homes, just without the upkeep.

How to Make Aging in Place Work

Plan Ahead

The National Poll on Healthy Aging reported that while most older adults want to age in place, the majority of them have not prepared for that.

Forbes makes this very important, very valid recommendation for older adults: from the time you turn 65, have a plan. The following areas are especially important.

Home Safety and Modifications

In order to remain safely within their homes, needed modifications and services should be identified and dealt with well in advance. Not having a lot of stairs does not do the trick on its own. There are thresholds, narrow hallways, poor lighting, an absence of grab bars, high counters and other features that need to be corrected in order to make the home safe and functional.

The National Poll on Healthy Aging report went on to say that of those older adults surveyed, only 15% had given significant or adequate consideration to how the home might need to be modified, and 47% had given little or no thought. The National Institute on Aging has identified some home safety guidelines.

Make it an immediate priority to identify expert resources and how you can access them.
The National Association of Home Builders has an Aging-In-Place Specialist Certification.
Have someone identified to help with routine maintenance and upkeep.

Transportation

Identify future transportation assistance in the event that you become unable to drive, either temporarily or permanently. If your partner or spouse is the designated driver, plan ahead for their possible limitations in the future as well and how that will impact you both. Being confined to your home because of this challenge would be extremely detrimental to your independence and well-being.

Caregiving and Assistance

48% of the respondents to the above-mentioned poll indicated they do not have anyone in their lives to help them. Have a plan in place for who you will contact should you need assistance. This could mean help with grocery shopping or getting to doctors’ appointments, or help with activities of daily living such as medication reminders, dressing, hygiene, etc.

If you will need a regularly scheduled permanent caregiver, identify in advance who you might use. Keep in mind that caregiving can be expensive, and caregivers are difficult to find.

Remaining within one’s home can be isolating, especially if mobility and the ability to drive decline. Friendship, camaraderie and social interaction are vital for one’s well-being. Investigate ways of staying in touch and engaged through groups, classes, programming and technology.

Stay Fit

If you’re fit now, be sure to exercise and stay fit to remain that way.

If you’re not fit, become so now. Either way, you want to be at your optimal fitness level in order to stay on top of your ability to age in place and all of the responsibilities that come with it.

Preparation Makes the Difference

Aging in place offers comfort, independence and familiarity, but it also comes with real challenges that require forethought and support. By addressing safety, caregiving, transportation and social connections early, older adults can better position themselves to thrive at home. With preparation, aging in place can be not just a hope, but a safe and sustainable reality.

If a fully independent home stops being the safest option, Briar Creek at The Barclay offers Assisted Living, Memory Support, Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation right on The Barclay at SouthPark’s campus, so a change in care doesn’t have to mean a change in community.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of aging in place?

The benefits of aging in place include staying in a familiar home and neighborhood, maintaining independence and control over daily routines, and, for the roughly 20% of older adults who own their homes outright, avoiding a monthly mortgage payment. Planning ahead for home safety, transportation and caregiving needs helps make aging in place sustainable long-term.

Is aging in place cheaper than moving to a senior living community?

It depends on the true cost of the home, including maintenance, modifications and any caregiving help needed, compared to a community’s all-inclusive monthly cost, which often covers meals, maintenance and utilities. A retirement community isn’t automatically more expensive once those hidden home costs are factored in.

Can aging-in-place modifications help you avoid moving to Assisted Living?

Home safety modifications, like grab bars, better lighting and removing fall hazards, can help older adults stay safely in their homes longer. But if daily care needs grow beyond what home modifications can support, a community like The Barclay at SouthPark, with Independent Living and Briar Creek at The Barclay’s Assisted Living, Memory Support, Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, offers a place to go without leaving the same campus.

What aging-in-place and senior living services are available in Charlotte, NC?

The Barclay at SouthPark offers Independent Living in Charlotte’s SouthPark neighborhood, with Briar Creek at The Barclay providing Assisted Living, Memory Support, Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation on the same campus, so residents in the Charlotte area have a full continuum of care close to home.

Schedule a Tour at The Barclay at SouthPark

Preparation makes all the difference, whether you’re planning to age in place or exploring a community built around the same independence. Schedule a tour at The Barclay at SouthPark to see Independent Living in the SouthPark neighborhood, or learn more about Briar Creek at The Barclay for Assisted Living, Memory Support, Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation.