What is aging in place?

The Center for Disease Control defines aging in place as "the ability to live in one's own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level."  An AARP poll determined that 95% of people age 65+ desire to age in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.  If this is what you wish to do, you may be asking yourself the question - "how do I make this desire a reality"?  The first thing that I would like to suggest is that you work to develop a proactive mindset because then you will be much more open to actually using the information and advice available when it comes to reaching your goal of aging in place.
You also will need:

• A house, apartment, flat or duplex etc. that is set up so that you can remain mobile and maintain your level of functioning as you age 
  
• Adequate, accessible medical care, health insurance and knowledge of how to get what you need
  
• The money/income to allow you to remain in your home and to provide for your necessities and social activities
  
• Transportation that you can afford and that meets your mobility needs &
  
• Access to social activities and entertainment to keep you happy and interacting
  

While this list is by no means all that you can do, it can get you thinking about how to proceed and that is really the most important step when it comes to aging well in the comfort of home - aging in place.