Independent Living Tips for Independent Living 11/13/2014 | By Seniors Guide Staff More and more older adults are living at home instead of moving to retirement communities, relatives’ homes, or nursing facilities. The majority of seniors even into their 80s live in their own homes. Staying independent can increase quality of life, but it’s important to consider health, safety, and the variety of tasks that can become more difficult with aging. Here are some services and gadgets you can use to age in place comfortably and happily. Transportation Relying on a friend or family member to drive you where you need to go can make scheduling difficult. Taxis are an expensive alternative and aren’t always reliable. But those without a car in most cities can, with a smartphone, get where they need to go. Apps like Uber and Lyft provide fast service and comfortable cars to drive you wherever you need to go. Uber has low rates with its UberX service and lets you pay with your phone. Lyft has easy-to-spot cars with bright pink mustaches over the front grills. Both let you pay with a stored credit card so you don’t need to carry or handle cash, ever. Food Preparation Making meals used to mean list preparation, grocery shopping, putting the groceries away, and then cooking a meal. But now you can get delicious meals on the table without most of these steps. Companies like Blue Apron and Plated will send ingredients with tasty recipes right to your door so all you have to do is the cooking. There’s a growing movement of meal preparation services, where you even pass off the cooking to someone else. These are usually small local businesses you should be able to find with a quick Google search. As an extra bonus, most of these services provide very healthy food. Identity Protection Older adults are a prime target for identity theft. Staying in your home may not be possible if your savings and Social Security are threatened. It’s important to check all mail to see if it’s legitimate, but sometimes that isn’t enough. A service like Lifelock can provide peace of mind by regularly monitoring your identity and looking for suspicious activity. If something does happen, Lifelock members get a $1 million warranty to fight back to reclaim your good name. Household Tasks Keeping a house in good shape can take a lot of work and may involve getting into areas like the attic or stairs. Hire a regular helper for cleaning and other tasks so you can avoid the risk of falling. If you’re not sure where to look, we’ve got resources to help find companion care, where someone is always available to run basic errands, do housework, or any other light jobs that may be too strenuous. Like many online outsourcing services, background checks are involved and they connect you with people in your own community. At HomeCareChoice.com you can even find Medical Home Care, including people and agencies that can provide home help services from housework to medical help. Read More Seniors Guide Staff Seniors Guide has been addressing traditional topics and upcoming trends in the senior living industry since 1999. We strive to educate seniors and their loved ones in an approachable manner, and aim to provide them with the right information to make the best decisions possible.