The realities of aging often lead to complex and difficult decisions about where to live – both for an older person and their loved ones. And a doctor often is a key part of the conversation that can inform these choices.
Colorado is home to more than 962,000 people age 65 and older. While most older adults continue to live in their own home, especially if their overall health is good, others eventually find they can no longer safely do so without home-care services that can be more than they afford.
For some, moving in with family or friends is an option. Others – especially those needing more help than they can get on their own – move to a group residential facility, such as an independent-living or assisted-living community, a nursing home, or a specialized dementia care facility (sometimes called memory care).
To better understand the weighty issues involved in a living transition for older people, we turned to Bennett Parnes, MD, an associate professor in the University of Colorado Department of Medicine’s Division of Geriatric Medicine. Parnes practices at the UCHealth Seniors Clinic on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, and last year he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Department of Medicine’s Clinical Excellence Society.
→ Helping Older People Live Their Best Lives Means Understanding Their Journeys