Did you know that studies show that only 1 percent of homes are aging in place ready? Yet, if you don’t live in an environment that can support you, studies show that over 75% of seniors who are hospitalized by a fall, it is because of an accident in the home.
Contrary to so many, we in the senior care industry WANT seniors to be as independent as possible living in your home. Please understand, the longer your home supports you, your home will pose less of a risk to you falling.
If you are thinking long term about a home that supports you in your aging years, we in the industry call it “universal design.” Universal Design can help you remain at home. First, it starts with a solid plan and some modifications to reduce your risk of accidents.
Costs will vary depending on location and project but designing for all ages fits a range of renovation budgets. Door handles and lighting fixtures are priced in the hundreds of dollars, sliding walls and kitchen countertops can run several thousand dollars, and the average cost to build a deck is $7,000 to $10,000. Homeowners will inevitably deal with other maintenance issues along the way, so renovating one room at a time may be preferable. A whole-house upgrade can cost more than $150,000.
Here are 10 recommendations to make your home Aging in Place Friendly, and maximizing its usefulness throughout your life:
- Entrances: Make them easy to get in and out of your house with groceries, a baby or a walker. Aim for one or more entrances without steps to offer convenience and unlimited access for family, guests and elderly adults.
- Bathrooms:Design the bathroom for convenience and to help prevent falls. Consider what you, your family or a visitor using a wheelchair might need to get around. Make sure the walls can accommodate handle bars, and that the sink, shower and toilet are accessible to people of all ages, heights and mobility. A door opening of at least 32 inches allows better access, and a curbless walk-in shower area is ideal.
- Kitchen:The kitchen is where people tend to invest most renovation dollars. Strive for an open design and varied counter heights (between 32 inches and 42 inches) to make it usable for various ages and abilities. Make storage accessible with pullout shelves and open shelving. Have a good blend of natural and artificial light for aesthetics as well as safety and convenience.
- Open design:The layout is popular for many reasons. It allows better flow of family and guests, presents fewer hallways and doors to navigate, offers greater freedom of movement and more flexibility in furniture layout, and makes an interior space feel larger. Sliding walls offer tremendous flexibility in allowing multiple uses for a single room.
- Bedrooms:If you don’t have a bedroom on your first floor, consider adding one. This option works for multiple life stages: new baby, college student, empty-nesters and aging parents.
- Windows:As we age, we need more light for reading and other tasks. Adding or enlarging windows is a terrific option. Windows connect us to nature and our community and allow people to easily watch their children and pets in the yard. Blinds or draperies offer a way to manage privacy and level of sunlight.
- Outdoors:Features such as covered entrances, wraparound decks and planters or container gardens help connect a home to the neighborhood and become natural extensions of the home. A wraparound deck, level with the first floor, allows access to each entrance and fosters a sense of community. Covered entrances prevent water and snow buildup on porches and provide protection for all family members entering and exiting the home in all weather. Gardens are aesthetically pleasing, can be therapeutic and can help provide food for a meal.
- Outlets, switches and doorknobs:Place outlets and switches at optimal heights and locations. Consider putting them where they can be reached while seated and by people of varying heights. Light switches that don’t require pinching or grasping will be easier to use. Doors that have lever hardware instead of knobs are easier to manipulate with a palm, closed fist or elbow when hands are full, injured or arthritic.
- Services:There are several services that you should screen and select, even before you need them. This includes a Home Care Agency, Landscape and Maintenance Contractors, and a Housecleaning Company. You may be fine on your own now, but the day you need them will be difficult to then have to begin the process.
- Be inventive:Think about your lifestyle and priorities and make innovative adjustments accordingly. What space aren’t you using to its full potential that can be turned into something that makes your house even more of a home? Turn an outdated carport into additional living space or transform an unused bedroom or formal dining room into entertainment/living space that better suits your lifestyle.
