Just over 20 days into this new year and I’ve decided to carry on just as I did last year — moving forward one floppy, flat foot at a time, mindful that slow `n steady is the only way to go, taking no chances on my safety as I age in place — in the place that’s been my home since 1991. Some have said it’s bigger/more than I need but there’s method to my madness; having different spaces within my home in which to spend time contributes to emotional and mental wellness. The den downstairs is rarely used, in the way it was when my husband was alive — there was safety in numbers. I may move my laptop down there now that I have an iPad to play with when I’m not at the desktop. My man friend, not to be confused with boyfriend, has been very generous over our time together and he enjoys gifting me with things he knows I’ll use a lot and enjoy. Can’t go wrong with technology! Or kitchen gadgets! I’m still waiting for the ‘next best thing’ to come along there.
I readily call myself an ‘old broad’, specifically, a lopsided old broad aging with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy — independently living though I’m not home alone. I have dogs! Aging in place ensures a level of security I wouldn’t otherwise enjoy should I find myself ‘having’ to move. Home ownership, in spite of the routine maintenance and inherent costs that goes along with it, is the only way to go for someone in my position. Home ownership is an investment in me and my future.
Quite content to occupy myself with writing, my books, music, and two major addictions —watching British crime shows and playing online scrabble, my needs today are few. Not a fan of theatres, movie streaming at home is great, providing a steady supply of entertainment with just a few keystrokes. Computer technology and I have a fabulous relationship but I do know ‘real live people’. Honest! Interspersed with my ‘stay at home life’ are outings to the big city, trying new eateries and prowling around the malls and other interesting shops.
Thankful that I’m still able to walk, I take advantage of it through housework. As well, wheeling around the malls, courtesy of an antique Quickie wheelchair keeps me fit, while a fire-engine red mobility scooter allows for safely taking fresh air outside since I can no longer walk any significant distances on crutches and propeling a wheelchair for too long is exhausting. Aging in place for one such as I, with multiple disabilities which benefit from an array of assistive devices, affords a certain security not easily abandoned to life in a nursing home environment.
My current home also caters to the requirements for baking and cooking, both a necessary part of stayin’ alive! Though small, my kitchen is well organised, featuring a lot of counter top appliances which allow for considerable variety in daily meals. Those who know me will attest to the fact that ‘she sure can put it away!”
Aging in place is the ideal because of how I’ve lived for the past 4 decades; an apartment would never suit my style and very few allow pets. What becomes of Fido with a down size?
Not surprisingly, many seniors who had no difficulty in the rambling old house where they raised a family, are finding that they’re experiencing that scary thing called the ‘fall’. One might think that falls wouldn’t be an issue in a smaller space but they are! The elderly/older person is often still functioning as though he was still bustling around the old house in familiar surroundings. What needs to happen in the new environment is for him to slow down and assess each space, especially if he uses aids like canes, crutches, or a walker.
I’m still able to undertake many daily tasks without need of a great deal of assistance. My biggest regret is that I didn’t learn how to drive; I suspect now it’s too late, particularly given my lack of finely tuned visual acuity. I’ll just have to continue to bribe my fine friends with tasty treats as I prevail upon their generosity to transport me to places I need to go and people I need to see.
Often, seniors come face to face with the need to move on as a current housing situation no longer fits — perhaps ones declining balance, declining vision and hearing, or lapses in memory may suggest it’s time for interventions and a change of place. Seniors requiring extra supports must be party to discussions of proposed changes.
Remember, new and different can be a good thing!
Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca
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