Local experts help aging baby boomers stay in their homes

As baby boomers continue to age, healthcare workers say there is a growing trend of seniors who want to stay in their own homes during their golden years.

I think people really desire to stay where theyre living, to stay in their own place rather than pay for a nursing home or assisted living, if its possible, said Melissa Carlson, an occupational therapist at Fremont Health. Sometimes that is a more cost effective and a more comfortable environment to be able to stay in their own home.

My primary responsibility at the hospital is I see people under home healthcare, those are people who are receiving therapy services in their home, she said. I see it all the time that people want to know how they can be safe in their home, how they can lessen the risk of falling, how things can be easier.

Lynn Lamprecht, president of Fremont-based Promedcare, recently earned certification as an Aging-in-Place Specialist, trained to help people evaluate their homes, and then work with medical professionals and general contractors to recommend modifications to make the home safer and more comfortable.

The Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist program was developed by the National Association of Home Builders.

For me, Lamprecht said, Aging-in-Place is doing the best you can to live in an environment where you want to stay. Most likely, people want to stay at home, and were trying to help them modify their home and just do simple things to help them stay at home safely for as long as they can.

Modifications can range from making the bathroom more accessible with raised toilets, grab bars, no-slip floors and easy-entrance showers and baths, to installation of elevators and lifts.

Sometimes it can be little things that dont really cost any money, Carlson said. It can be picking up throw rugs that are all over, which I see a lot of. ... Just trying to organize the environment better, and as youre thinking about the future you can think about things like adding a ramp or a rail or something. Obviously those do cost money, but you can make little changes that help make people safer in their homes too, its a start and youve got to start somewhere.

Once in a while Ill see somebody who, as theyve aged theyve lost some height, so perhaps they can no longer reach where they hung their clothes on their closet rod, so Ill make a recommendation to think about lowering that rod so you can reach it, she said.

As an occupational therapist, Carlson gets involved under a physicians order, typically after someone has suffered a medical event or health condition has developed.

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Local experts help aging baby boomers stay in their homes