Staying at home as you age can be the best way to have a comfortable and happy elderly life. However, the home you built for your younger self may not be ideal for your older version. Luckily, you could be all set with a timely full house renovation that “touches up” a few things.
Some of these tips to prepare your home for aging in place will be essential if you want to create a safe home for your later years. Others may be ideas that you can apply, especially if you’re looking to increase the space that you have around the house. Drafting the design and drawing plans for room additions could be a perfect example of something you may want to do but won’t be a must-have in your home.
Widen the Door Frames
This is one of the “must” tips to prepare your home for aging in place. People think that this is only necessary when a person is in a wheelchair and, therefore, needs to enter rooms with it. Even if you’re not using anything to aid you as you walk around the house, you can benefit from wider doorways.
Any areas that become hard to reach can lead to bumps and bruises from brushing up against the walls. These same situations make falls much more probable. You will want to avoid putting yourself at risk as you age. One of the ways to prepare your home for that time is to have easier access to the different rooms within the house.
Bathroom Renovations
No list of how to prepare your home for aging in place would be complete without discussing bathroom renovation projects. Some people may be reluctant to renovate their bathrooms for the same reasons that they wouldn’t want to alter their doorways. You may get the sense that it’s something that you don’t need yet.
Although you don’t necessarily need to add safety bars to the shower or widen it for easier access, it may be the best time to renovate the area. Renovation projects that are completed in a hurry can lead to subpar results. Generally, when it comes to finding ways to prepare your home for aging in place, doing everything well ahead of time is a good idea.
A kitchen renovation may be something that you want to look into as well. It may be a perfect time to remove the kitchen island. That’s especially the case if there’s not enough room between it and the other countertops that make up the kitchen.
Adding Interior Surveillance Cameras
When preparing your home for aging in place, this may be one of the most difficult steps you’ll have to take. Many people don’t love the idea of having cameras looking into their house at all times. You may feel like you’re losing your privacy and walking into a reality TV show.
If you’re going to be living on your own or with a partner who is a similar age as you, it could make sense to install the cameras and give your children access to them. That way, even if they’re not physically there, they can keep an eye on you.
You could do some things to prepare your home for aging in place without losing your privacy. One of those might be installing different alarms around the house that you could use to call for help.
Another idea is to wear a device that monitors your heart rate and sends out an alert if there are any abnormalities. Whichever option you choose, it’s important to have a way for people to realize if you’re in danger or going through a health crisis.
Why Room Additions or Garage Conversions Could Be a Good Idea
This last element on the list is not a must, but it could be a good idea, especially for those who live in multi-story homes. The reason why people choose to do a garage conversion in their older age is usually to have a room on the ground floor if they have trouble walking up steps. While that’s an okay solution, if you can do a room addition, it may work even better.
You’ll usually have larger spaces when you create custom homes through room additions than you would by just converting a garage. Plus, with that extra space, it will be easier to add accessories for housing units, such as the ones that may be useful for people with mobility issues.
There’s just more freedom when you’re creating home additions than you would have with other options.
It’s true that this last tip to prepare your home for aging in place is one that not everyone will need to apply. If you already have a room on the ground floor within your home, it’s never too early to start making it a comfortable living space.
Certainly, having to prepare your home for aging in place for yourself can be a rough experience, but if you look at things in a positive light, it’s also a great opportunity for some much-needed redecorating.