Options for Living - Staying in your Home

If you want to stay put, finding constructive ways to take care of getting about, shopping, home maintenance and other chores is important.

1. Arrange paid help. There are plenty of gardening and cleaning services around. Get used to using them and paying for them. Don't expect family members to be unpaid servants.
    
2. Make it easy for other people to help. It is easier for a neighbour to pick up something from the shop for you when they are doing their normal shopping than it is for your son or daughter to make a special trip to take you shopping. But don't expect too much from neighbours.
    
3. Adapt your home earlier rather than later. Installing simple devices like support rails in the bathroom can make life easier and mean that if you have an accident your home is still suitable.
    
4. Move to a more suitable home. A home that suited when you were younger, or with a family of children is not necessarily suitable now. Consider your requirements and consider moving before you hit crisis point.

Want to talk about it? Check our forum for views on different options and what people have found works for them.