How senior friendly is your apartment community?
Ensuring the safety, health and comfort of senior citizens are very important. It is best to make communities senior-friendly so that older people can live independently and get assistance when needed.
What is a Senior Friendly Community?
Seniors face many problems like health issues, immobility, financial issues, social and economic disparities. A senior friendly community understands and meets the needs of seniors, respect their decisions and choices, recognizes their importance, skills and abilities, involve them in all activities. It is also called age-friendly community.
How To Make Your Community a Senior Friendly Community?
Following are the key steps to make your community a senior friendly community:
Affordable and Accessible Housing: The houses should be provided at a reasonable price to older people. House sharing option should be given. The houses should be well designed, making it accessible and safe for seniors. House modification service should be provided.
At Doorstep Services: Services like grocery delivery, dry-cleaning or laundry, housekeeping, escort services and meal delivering should be provided at the doorstep for seniors convenience.
Participate in Association: Seniors should be made a part of the association. They should be involved in decision making activities of the community. Their point of view and suggestions should be welcomed. They should feel they are an important part of the community.
Accessible Common Areas and Lifts: The common areas and lifts of the apartment and the building should be easily walkable and safe for carrying wheelchairs. There should be benches to sit while waiting for lifts. It is recommended to have a lift attendant for senior’s assistance.
Formation of Recreational or Fun club: A recreational or fun club can be formed where all seniors can participate and spend some quality time together, have some fun activities and enjoy themselves. Seniors of any or all apartments can take initiative regarding formation of such club.
Health and other Support Services: Providing free or moderate cost health services and other support services like day care and overnight care for seniors on daily, weekly or monthly basis. Emergency services should also be provided whenever needed.
