When it comes to having a home that is suitable for seniors, there are many factors to consider. Not only does the home need to be comfortable, but it also needs to be accommodating to the bodily changes that come with old age. Below are some tips to consider when making your home more accessible for aging in place.
Safe Entryways Into Your Home
The pathways into your home are one of the most important factors when considering aging in place. If your home doesn’t already have these features, here are the modifications you will want to make:
No-Step Entries
Most homes usually have at least one step upwards to get in the front, garage, and back doors, making getting inside your home difficult. Redesigning the entryways to have no steps will not only make walking through the entryways easier but will make the entryways wheelchair accessible as well.
No-Step Thresholds
Similar to no-step entries, no-step thresholds just mean that the doorways themselves don’t have any high barriers or thick weather stripping. Anything you can do to minimize the places that could cause you to trip will be a huge step towards making your home ready to age in place.
Create a Senior-Friendly Bathroom
It’s no secret that no matter where you live, a bathroom is a necessity. Unfortunately, most bathrooms are not built with accessibility in mind, so making modifications to the bathrooms to increase safety will be key for aging in place.
Shower
In the shower itself, install slip-prevention flooring. As you get older, falls become more hazardous, so anything you can do to prevent falls will be important. Install railing in the shower to add an anchor to hold on to. Install a chair within the shower so that you can comfortably sit to shower as well.
Toilet
If possible, install a handrail near the toilet to assist with sitting down and standing up. As you become older, simple tasks can become more difficult, so making the bathroom a place that is safe and accessible is recommended. Installing an elevated toilet can also make things much easier for you.
Lighting
Unfortunately, most bathrooms are built with younger eyes in mind, frequently leaving bathrooms poorly lit. Installing brighter and/or new lights will allow you to see much more clearly, making sure that you don’t miss the handrails near the toilet or shower.
In addition to having increased accessibility by being in your own home, you can ensure that it stays clean and sanitary. There are even services out there that offer electrostatic sprayer disinfection so that all the surfaces and rooms can be clean. Germs and viruses can live on surfaces if proper precautions aren’t taken.
Create an Accessible Home
While you’re going about creating a house a more permanent residence for you as you age, you can also take this time to redo your living room or bedroom. We highly recommend things that keep your mood positive and provide a better environment in your home. After all, you will spend the majority of your time there!
Outside of modifying bathrooms and the exterior of your home, many other small modifications can be done around the house to make getting around and living, in general, a much more pleasant and comfortable experience. Understanding your needs and the troublesome areas of your home will help you make decisions about what changes need to happen. Here are some suggestions for small changes to make around your home:
- Replace doorknobs with lever-style handles
- Move the electrical outlets higher and more within reach
- Move the light switches lower and more within reach
- Modify the countertops to be shallower
- Hire someone for home health care in Littleton
In the end, the decision of whether to age in place and hire in-home care services or to move to a care facility is a tough one. Due to the increase in home modification options and the availability of home care, many are choosing to age in their own homes, the place where you are the most comfortable.
