Your house may not be sporting wrinkles or gray hair, but if you’ve lived there awhile, chances are it’s showing its age. How? By the way it was designed.
If the home is a split-level, has an attic or basement, awkward steps up or down from one room to another, polished floors, throw rugs… it may pose obstacles as you grow older.
Our bodies change with age, even in the best of health, which means some aspects of day-to-day living can become challenging over time. This is often why and when people consider moving into a retirement community.
“Age-Progressing” Your Home
What if you love your home and don’t want to move? Good news! There’s an easy way to maintain your independence and lifestyle without changing your address: adapt your existing home to meet your evolving needs. You may have seen videos or websites that “age-progress” a person to show what they’ll look like, many decades ahead. You can now do the same (after a fashion) with your home.
Your house can become a different kind of “gold” in your golden years, with design modifications that accommodate the inhabitants. Think about it this way: life is full of “safety features”; we simply take most of them for granted.
Consider driving. Imagine how difficult it would be to drive without traffic lights at busy intersections, or as a pedestrian, trying to cross a major thoroughfare without a “Walk” sign.
Bringing An Older Home Up to Date
A few simple changes can make a big difference. These features, elements of what’s known as “universal design,” can retrofit your home for greater safety and peace of mind:
- Grab bars in the shower/bathtub. You can also add a walk-in bathtub.
- Hand rails. People can slip and fall at any age; in older adults this might result in a broken hip, or worse.
- Ramps can be installed if someone needs to use a wheelchair.
- Door widening accommodates wheelchairs, walkers, and four-pronged canes.
- Low thresholds help avoid tripping, and make it easier to navigate with assistive devices.
- Kitchen cabinets lowered to within easy reach.
- Anti-skid flooring.
Ask your local real estate agent, Area Agency on Aging, or builders’ association for a referral to a Certified Aging In Place Specialist (CAPS) who has been certified by the National Association of Home Builders.
Home Care Completes the Picture
Age-proofing your home is one of the easiest, most affordable steps you can take now to maintain your independent lifestyle without changing your address as you grow older.
To complement home modifications, consider hiring a caregiver. Whether an elder needs assistance with basic activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing, someone to food shop and prepare dinner, or simply a friendly companion on outings, a home care provider means a senior will be safer at home, with greater peace of mind for everyone involved.
Useful Resources for Home Safety
CAPS (Certified Aging In Place Specialist) by state
Home Safety for Seniors (Senior Magazine)
TrueCare24 (Your all-in-one, at-home solution) Call: 551-227-3669
Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) Buyers Guide
