Making the Necessary Home Modifications So You Can Age in Place

Roughly 80 percent of seniors plan to age in place, which means living independently or semi-independently in their current home or community, rather than living in a retirement or nursing home. Aging in place, if that’s an option, has obvious benefits for seniors, such as convenience, independence, and staying close to family. If you’re a senior who wants to age in place, it’s important to do it safely by making the necessary modifications to your home, as well as moving to a different home if needed.

Bathroom, Kitchen, and Floors

The point of making these changes is to maintain your quality of life by keeping the home comfortable, making your daily necessities accessible to you, and lowering the risk of injuries. For the kitchen, you may need to relocate your appliances and microwave. If you’re in a wheelchair, consider hiring a contractor to lower your counter-tops, cabinets, and sink.

For the floors, you’ll want to replace old carpet with new carpet that has a short nap. This will help prevent tripping and falling, and it provides easier navigation for seniors who use a walker or wheelchair. If you have any rugs in the home, you’ll probably need to remove them or tape them down to the floor to prevent tripping.

A lot of falls and injuries happen in the bathroom, which is why it’s important to modify this space to fit your needs. Before you get started, do a risk assessment on your bathroom to see what you need to make it safe. Modifications might include installing a walk-in shower with a chair or bench, a zero-entry shower, and/or grab bars in the shower and near the toilet. Depending on your level of expertise, you may need to hire a professional to do the work.

Entry, Doorways, and Lighting

Ramps are another modification that you may need to make to your home. As you age, climbing stairs will likely become more difficult, so installing an exterior ramp is worth the investment if it helps you maintain your independence and keeps you safe. Also, adding indoor ramps to the thresholds of each doorway provides smooth transitions for those in wheelchairs. If you use any kind of mobility aid, you’ll definitely want to widen the doorways in your home to at least 36 inches. Doing so can cost a pretty penny, but being able to comfortably maneuver from room to room is worth whatever the cost to make it happen. Furthermore, it’s good to have automatic lights on the exterior and interior of the home. Adequate lighting in every corner of the home will help you identify obstacles and reduce the risk of injury.

Moving to a Different Home

Sometimes, making the necessary modifications to your home isn’t an option, in which case you’ll need to consider moving to an already accessible home. The good news is that the internet has made searching for homes easier and more convenient than ever before. It’s helpful to make a checklist

to reference as you look for accessible homes in your area. Finding an accessible home includes many of the same steps as finding any other kind of home, but you’ll want to make sure you factor in the requirements on your checklist by adding any modifications needed to the selling price.

If you plan to age in place, considering home modifications for the future should be a top priority. It’s important to do what you can to make your home safe while keeping it comfortable and your daily necessities accessible. If you start making preparations now, you can set yourself up to age with convenience, retain your independence, and remain close to family.

Making the Necessary Home Modifications So You Can Age in Place By Jim Vogel