Blog

5 Tips for Aging in Place

As a society, we talk a lot about remodeling homes for resale value. We tend to get excited with the prospect of flipping and making a buck. But, what about remodeling homes for yourself, especially if you’re in it for the long haul — aging in place?

Rare is a home set up well for living independently as we grow older. To age in place successfully, your home should align with your physical and mental capabilities to be safe.

So, here are five helpful home features to take your home to the next level as you progress to your next stage in life…

Bedroom + Bathroom on the Entry Level

Growing older may mean moving slower or becoming disabled. The potential for everyday activities like sleeping, eating, and bathing need to be as accessible as possible. Having these activities on the entry level will make it that much easier.

Wheelchair Accessible Kitchen

When cooking, you might not always be able to stand up. Start by lowering your wall and floor cabinets and installing pull-out shelves and lazy susans. These adjustments will give you greater visibility and easier access to what you need. Also, open space beneath the cooktop and sink will allow you to pull up without a wide gap.

Raised Toilet Seats

The height of your toilet might make it difficult to sit and stand. Consider a raised toilet seat (AKA riser or lifter). Risers add 3”-5” to the height of your toilet seat to make it easier sitting and getting up. Nobody wants to be the star of their own “I’ve fallen and i can’t get up!” Infomercial! Hopefully, you may never have to realize how vital those few extra inches are. But they will make a world of a difference if you are in need of assistance because of a disability or temporary injury.

Door Handles, Not Knobs

Door handles are much easier to maneuver. Turning a doorknob can get tricky if you’re disabled or injured. With a door handle, you’ll only need to apply downward pressure to unlatch the door. Easy!

Extra Wide Doorways & Hallways

For wheelchair access, you’ll need at least two inches on each side of your wheelchair or walker (when centered) so that you can turn around easier. Don’t forget to take the wheels and other wheelchair specifications into consideration when determining the size of your hallway.

These are just a few modifications you can make to your home as you age in place. A Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist can help you assess the unique needs of the older adult population and make the right recommendations.

For more tips about remodeling your home, read my blog