Aging in Place: Our House Is a Very, Very, Very Fine House

As 10,000 American baby boomers turn 65 years of age every day between 2017 and 2030, society needs to help our aging population find ways to handle the restrictions and limitations that come with increasing age: visual impairment, hearing loss, osteoarthritis, dementia, and other conditions common in older adults. Institutional or long-term care for elderly individuals costs an average of $82,000 to $92,000 per person per year and varies by location. Care in an assisted living facility costs $43,500 per person annually. Living in a personal home or residential setting—aging in place—by contrast, costs an average of $23,000 per person per year. Successful aging in place encompasses safety, health, and economic security. Numerous aging-in-place programs exist in contained geographic areas (towns and counties) or in areas that promote community living (e. g., cohousing or homesharing) or focus on special interests like the arts. Two such programs, the naturally occurring retirement community (NORC) model and the Village model, seem to have had the most success. Elderburbs—older, age-unfriendly communities not focused on residents' health care and mobility needs—remain and can present unique problems. Handheld technology or that integrated into housing can improve the standard of living, help elders improve their functioning, and even monitor medication. The aging-in-place movement presents numerous opportunities for consultant pharmacists.