As parents, we all want to give the best to our children and make every possible effort in that direction. But when it comes to ourselves, we often neglect to take some basic steps toward ensuring our comfort and security. And make no mistake, just like your kids, we seniors have their special needs as well, though we do not tend to vocalize those needs as enthusiastically.
The good news is, making your retirement life easier is entirely doable, requiring but a little extra attention and foresight from your end. With some proper planning and long term thinking, you can make sure that you can spend the twilight years of your lives in ease.
Turn Your Home Senior Friendly
The easiest way – and the least disruptive – is to simply modify your existing accommodations to cater to the requirements of a senior citizen. Keep in mind though, that it is not a simple transformation. There are many small odds and ends we do not notice but they cause much stress and hardship for your aging body.
Small things like eliminating steps between thresholds, adding railings to all staircases, or using rough (non-slippery) flooring in your house can make your life much easier.
Unfortunately, many of these changes are pretty expensive, or in some cases, even downright impossible for the house in question. But if you are unwilling to change your living arrangements – maybe you have fond memories of the house, or perhaps there are legal issues in selling it – and do not require too extensive renovations, modifying your house is the way to go.
In case you have some funds on route in a few weeks (say due to a maturing fixed deposit), you can take advantage of a title loan to fund the expenses in the short term.
Buy a New House that Suits Your Needs
Upgrading your house to be senior-friendly is expensive, not to mention a somewhat difficult exercise. Sometimes it is easier to purchase a new home with the necessary features than to modify an existing property.
The viability of this measure depends entirely on your local housing market, so take a look at the going rate around your locality. If you can get a good market rate for selling your current house, it can prove profitable to shift to a smaller house that is easier to navigate for senior citizens.
You can even benefit by acquiring a house in less populated suburb, as such properties tend to appreciate in value considerably over time. Of course, finding a nice locality to go with the house is necessary too. Which brings us to our next tip.
Find a Good Assisted Living Facility
Selling a house is not an easy task in the best of times, and depending on the situation in your neighborhood, might even be a poor move to make. Likewise, not all homes are suitable for modifications, and depending on the condition of the house, can even shoot over your budget.
An assisted living facility can be the right answer in these kinds of cases. While you can hire a nurse at your home itself, such an arrangement is costly and misses on the holistic care and support that a properly managed facility provides.
A good living facility would be built from the ground up with the requirements of seniors in mind and staffed with professionals to handle all your needs in the best manner possible. This helps combat loneliness as well, as you live in a like-minded community of sorts, with group activities to keep you healthy and positively engaged.
Conclusion
Making your life after retirement easier and more comfortable is a question of timely planning and foresight. From modifying your existing home, buying a new house to moving to an assisted living facility, you have many options. Just make sure to carefully consider the best course before moving forward.
