Wearing our favorite, colorful socks and comfortable jeans sitting in front of fire gives us a way to connect with loved ones and our homes that we also love in a way that provides pleasure and satisfaction,
The comfort factor goes a long way
Think of how much we really enjoy wearing that old sweatshirt, tee-shirt, blue jeans, or casual shoes – even if they are showing some signs of wear and may not be as stylish as they were when they were new. We get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction out of putting them on. They’re comfortable, they make us feel good, and in many cases, they provide happy memories of previous times.
Some of us anguish at the thoughts of replacing that old familiar item when it just becomes unserviceable – and that’s certainly a matter of individual interpretation. Until that time, however, it is a dear possession.
Our homes are like this. We have a huge comfort factor there that has grown over the years. When we are away, we can’t wait to return to our comfortable and familiar surroundings. We can be ourselves – no one to try to impress. We can dress weekend casual whenever we like.
Our homes are dependable
One of the reasons that old sweatshirt or pair of shoes is so comfortable for us is that we have grown used to each other. They fit us, our needs, our moods, and our activities. We depend on them giving us that good feeling when we put them on and wear them again. Our homes are like that also.
One of the largest reasons for aging in place and not wanting to move from what we have now is because we either like our homes dearly or we can’t face the idea of saying goodbye to them even if they aren’t perfect for us. There is that same comfort, familiarity, and dependability factor that we have with that treasured item of clothing.
We know what to expect from that familiar item of clothing or our homes. They are dependable. We can count on the happy feelings we get from using them.
Our homes are like an old friend
As we have settled into living in our homes – whether for a relatively short time of for a decade or more, they have become like an old friend to us. We understand their quirks, habits, smells, sounds they make, and other characteristics that we might find in someone we know quite well and enjoy being with also – family, neighbors, or close friends.
We know our homes, and in a sense, they know us. We are comfortable with each other. We have gotten to know each other quite well over time and are used to how we live in that space and use it.
We learn how to coexist with each other
People, whether they are dear friends, neighbors, or family living in the same home, have various ways of coping with each other’s needs, likes, and dislikes. We make the effort to accommodate each other because we care about their feelings and want them to be happy and comfortable around us.
Within the same living space and home environment, we make accommodations for each other and for what our homes offer us. We know each other’s tendencies, strengths, and weaknesses. We adapt.
We agree to keep going
As for those who live with us in our homes, and for our dwelling spaces themselves, we agree to keep going day-by-day and day-after-day acknowledging what we like about each other and accepting some of the little things we really don’t care for but understand they are part of that other person or our home environment. Some things we will just accept and live with, while others can possibly be modified.
The great thing about aging in place is that we often can change what isn’t working to make it into a better situation – not with the people around us but our basic living arrangement. Budget is incidental because they are both inexpensive ways as well as more elaborate ways to adjust and improve living spaces. We can add lighting, furniture, improved flooring, controls and handles, bathroom arrangements, and many other details that our home will appreciate having to show it that we care bout it and to allow us to live more safely and enjoyably in over the coming months and years.