All of us at some point will face the physical, emotional, and mental challenges of getting older.
How do we live and adapt as older people? How do we help older people stay in their communities and feel supported as age and infirmity advance?
Most of us – as we age - will probably prefer to stay in our own homes. A nursing home – let’s face it - is a last resort.
How do we "age in place?"
Jeff Klein with Nevada Senior Services told KNPR's State of Nevada that aging in place is really about being around loved ones for a person's life span.
"If nothing else, we're social creatures and we have a lot to contribute to our communities and our family and friends... and it is important for us to be able to do that for as long as we can," Klein said.
He said his organization provides services ranging from wellness management for people who can generally take care of themselves to adult daycare centers for people who are no longer safe being left alone at home.
They also provide support to caregivers.
Shanna Grayson is a social worker with the group. She got into it after caring for her own mother during the final stages of cancer.
Grayson said one of the most important things for caregivers is for them to know they're not alone and that it is okay to reach out for help.
"It takes a lot of courage to ask for help and to trust that that person is going to be there to support you," she said.
Jeff Klein of Nevada Senior Services said that Nevada is one of the fastest aging states in the country.
"We've had a major influx during our growth periods 15 years ago or more," Klein said. "We have a huge crunch on our system and a lack of resources because we didn't have the population that required them before that."
He described it as a wave rolling in without the funding in place to deal with it. He said his group would need five times its current budget to deal with the population growth.
Jane Gruner with the state's Aging and Disability Services Division agrees that funding at a correct rate is the biggest challenge because it goes to the quality of care that can be provided.
"We need to support people at the level that they need it," she said. "We need to be able to deliver those services when they need it."
Gruner said some waiting lists for services from her department have hundreds of people on them and getting services can take months.
Her division deals with some of the non-health care issues that the elderly and people with disabilities face.
"If you can't take care of your property or you can't get out to buy groceries, it's really difficult to stay in your community," Gruner said, which is where her department can step in and help.
For example, it provides taxi vouchers that allow people to get rides at a discounted rate. It has also set up a program to address some of the legal needs particular to seniors through the Southern Nevada Senior Law Project.
Gruner said aging in place not only helps people stay healthier and happier, it saves the state money.
"The longer individuals can stay in their homes the less costly it is for their care," she said.
Resources:
Aging and Disability Services Division - 775-687-4210
Jane Gruner, administrator, Aging and Disability Services Division Nevada Department of Health & Human Services; Jeff Klein, president, Nevada Senior Services; Shanna Grayson, social worker, Nevada Senior Services
