Are you an average American homeowner? If so, you are in
your mid-30s and retirement is a long way off. It’s not something you think
about when you plan to remodel your home. But remodeling is not something you
can afford to do every few years. The sooner you start thinking about it the
better. If you are approaching your 60s, the urgency is much greater.
Observing Homes of
Seniors to Get Ideas
This doesn’t mean visiting a retirement home. Drop in and
spend some time with the seniors you know. Talk to them about the challenges
they face in their homes due to structural features which if available would
make life much easier for them. Not everything may appeal to you nor may be right
for you, but the more ideas you get the better prepared you will be. You don’t
have to incorporate everything immediately. Making provision for it is enough.
For example, remodeling a staircase with the option of installing a stair lift
at a later date will make installation easier when it needs to be done.
Understanding
“Universal Design”
The term Universal Design refers to the concept of a home
that is safe for, attractive and
comfortable to people of all ages. This includes: maximizing the number of bedrooms
on the ground floor so that climbing is reduced;making wide doorways that make
wheelchair access easier; fixing easy-to-reach switches and outlets; providing
multi-level kitchen counters and so on. These are features that everyone will
becomfortable with, not just the elderly.
Building Safer
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are a major danger area for the elderly. Many
homes usually have smaller bathrooms and these can be difficult for the elderly
to use. Making bathrooms bigger may not be possible. But the layout can be
designed to provide the following safety features: maximum possible open floor
space for easier access to wheel chair or walker users; location of the tub and
toilet convenient for fixing grab bars later. Floors with the highest non-slip
factor will be safe for everyone, especially seniors.
Living Downstairs
If you have a 2 story home, you are not going to abandon the
upper floor. But you could think of moving the master bedroom downstairs.
Remove thresholds to reduce the chances of tripping and make
wheelchair access easier. There’s no need to install a ramp to your front porch
now, but keeping provision for putting one in later makes sense. Make the steps
at the front entrance smaller, easier to use. It is something everyone will
appreciate right now.
These are just a few things that can make your home more
comfortable and safer for you in your senior years. There is much more you can
think about and many more options available. It would be a good idea to have
your home remodeling done by a contractor specializing in design-build
remodeling.
Comments
Post a comment