Aging in place poses some difficulties

As baby boomers reach retirement age, many cities may need to come up with methods for managing the elderly, as a number of cities nationwide are seeing a rise in homeowners staying in their residences past retirement, according to the Kansas City Star.

The paper says among the potential problems facing aging homeowners in Kansas City, for instance are finding an affordable way to transport seniors door-to-door and building houses to accommodate seniors with physical impairments - including the inability to climb stairs and coming up with assistive technology devices. Other issues include training in-home care aides as well as volunteers and family members to care for the elderly.

Despite these issues facing the city, the source says, deciding not to move to an extended care facility and opting to stay at home instead may also be hard on the senior citizens themselves.

"Home is where the heart is," David Baxter, senior vice president of AgeWave, told the source. "Moving away from memories is a challenge. But aging at home is not always the ideal solution."

For senior citizens who decide remaining in a home is best for them, but their current home is not well suited for their condition, there are a number of moving services that assist senior citizens in finding more accessible homes. These services also sometimes include moving companies that can assist with transporting their goods.  

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