Revamping Your Home for Aging in Place
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Aging in place means living at home as long as possible rather than moving into assisted-living or retirement communities – typically at lower costs than moving.
But to achieve true independence while remaining at home requires planning and adapting your home for accessibility and safety – which is where a remodeler who specializes in aging-in-place design comes into play.
1. Install a Stair Lift
Aging in place can be an excellent way for elderly adults to maintain quality of life while avoiding the expense associated with assisted living facilities. Many states offer non-Medicaid assistance programs that may help make home modifications.
To help increase mobility, invest in a stair lift and remodel your bathroom to enable seniors to bathe safely.
2. Add a Balcony
Aging in place has quickly become a top priority among American consumers, as it can reduce healthcare costs for both themselves, their family, and ultimately healthcare systems.
Home modifications can give people independence and self-sufficiency; home modifications can make an enormous difference for these purposes.
AARP offers both printed and online assessment tools to assist homeowners and contractors in creating homes suitable for aging in place.
3. Add a Deck
Many seniors prefer aging in place as opposed to moving into a nursing home or moving in with family, which means making smart renovations are necessary in order to do this successfully.
Experts advise no-step entryways, grab bars in both kitchen and bathroom, curbless showers, lever door handles, wider hallways and doors and an accessible floor plan to make homes safe for aging in place. These upgrades will make sure that you and your loved ones remain living comfortably for many years to come.
4. Add a Walk-In Shower
As seniors age in place, modifications to their homes often must be made. This could range from simple measures such as adding a shower bench or installing grab bars to complex projects like creating an entire ground-floor master suite.
An accessible first-floor bathroom is essential to meeting the needs of wheelchair-users or those using walkers. Wider doorways and hallways will make turning around easier for wheelchairs.
5. Add a Jacuzzi
Aging in place is often the preferred choice for many older adults, but extensive home renovations may be necessary to ensure safety and accessibility. While major home repairs may be costly, simpler solutions – like creating a paved pathway from the parking area to the front door – may make a bigger impactful statement about you as an older adult.
Installing a Jacuzzi can make the experience of aging in place more relaxing for loved ones.
6. Add a Laundry Room
Extended home modifications such as adding an elevator or installing a walk-in shower can be expensive. But there are several less-expensive renovations that could significantly enhance an older adult’s quality of life.
Laundry chores can be an enormous burden, particularly for people living with mobility challenges or back conditions. Consider investing in two front-loading washers and dryers on pedestals as a solution.
7. Add a Bedroom
Many older adults would like to remain in their homes as long as possible; this can only be accomplished with modifications being made. Luckily, there are numerous aging-in-place renovations you can implement in your home to enable this goal.
Bedrooms should ideally be located on the first floor, if this is not feasible a room addition could be considered an alternative solution.
Install push-style light switches to avoid your loved one having to fidget for toggle switches, as well as add lighting in closets so they won’t have to reach or crouch down for light sources.
8. Add a Den
A garage can serve many functions, from keeping food frozen and tools out of sight to providing safe access for aging in place homeowners.
Many seniors choose to age in place either temporarily or permanently, which requires home preparation to reduce fall risks, which include throw rugs and pet accidents that could increase fall risks.
9. Add a Garage
Many seniors prefer to remain in their own homes as long as possible and age in place, which requires making some modifications to the property they occupy. To do this effectively, changes may need to be made on an ongoing basis.
Elderly homeowners looking to age-in-place should consider building a granny flat on their property; this will make life much simpler when trying to manage an older home with multiple levels.
10. Add a Bathroom
Many two-story homes feature bathrooms located upstairs near bedrooms; for those aging in place, however, a first-floor bathroom is essential.
Walker or wheelchair users require plenty of room to maneuver around toilets, tubs and shower stalls safely. Non-slip flooring is essential. Unfortunately, many older people must move in with family or into nursing homes due to unsafe living conditions in their home; avoid this by planning ahead and undertaking remodeling projects now.
