“…there’s no place like home.” Dorothy, Wizard of Oz.

Every time we go somewhere – home is always best. Visiting friends and family or hotels stays, nothing beats coming home to your own place with all its sights, sounds and smells!

The last blog we had made mention of small changes my Dad made to his lifestyle so that he could stay in his own home longer. Doing some additional research, I came across some booklets available free of charge from Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) on “Maintaining Seniors’ Independence through Home Adaptations”. Although many seniors choose to stay in their homes as long as possible, some homes are not suited to meet our changing needs as we age. This handy assessment tool looks at all aspects of your house including getting in and out of it, stairs, set up of the kitchen, light and ventilation. The corrections it suggests can be completed by family members or contractors. CMHC also provides information on The Home Adaptations for Seniors’ Independence (HASI) program which offers financial assistance for minor home adaptations to help low-income seniors. Click on the links within this blog for more information and access to the assessment tools.

SMILE is a program run by the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) to help seniors stay in their homes. Services provided free of charge are the following:

• Meals

• Routine housekeeping

• Shopping

• Laundry (including wash and fold services)

• Running errands

• Transportation to and from health care appointments

• Seasonal outdoor chores and grounds keeping

There are also some changes you can make in your home along the lines of decluttering or organizing that will make it easier to live in, keep clean and just enjoy it that much more. Our Decluttering Checklist is a great place to start. If it all seems a little daunting, you can also call us to come over and get you organized so you can enjoy your home for as long as possible.