You’ve been in your home for decades, but where you once saw comfort and stability, you now see an accident waiting to happen. If this sounds familiar, we’re glad you chose our blog to explore aging in place in your Central Texas home. Below, we will discuss the benefits, common challenges, and practical remodeling tips for making your home more apt for seniors.
Before we get into it, let’s be clear: as we age, our homes should adapt to our changing needs for both our safety and well-being. Aging-in-place remodels can provide a high quality of life for seniors in Central Texas and transform your home into a safe, comfortable living space where you can enjoy independence.
Benefits of Aging-in-Place Remodeling
Beyond the obvious benefits of maintaining independence and enhancing your quality of life, aging-in-place will save you and your family a lot of money on moving into an assisted living facility or, heaven forbid, expensive medical bills after a bad fall. In addition to enjoying the familiarity and comfort of your own home and maintaining your lifestyle and autonomy, you can expect three incredible benefits from an aging-in-place remodel:
- Increase your home’s value: Investing in aging-in-place features can significantly increase your home’s resale value.
- Reduce Stress: Know that your home is designed to meet your needs as you age so you can move freely and independently.
- Create a Legacy: Pass on a safe and comfortable home to future generations.
Key Elements of Aging-in-Place Remodels
All best-practice aging-in-place remodels will consider four elements: universal design, accessibility, safety, and comfort. Your remodel should prioritize universal design, ensuring spaces are accessible to all and safe to maneuver in a wheelchair, with a cane, or a walker. These designs might involve widening doorways, installing ramps, and providing clear pathways for easy navigation.
Safety is paramount, so eliminating hazards like slippery floors and low-hanging objects is essential in any aging-in-place home renovation. Our team will help you consider features such as ergonomic seating, adjustable lighting, and convenient storage solutions to create a comfortable and inviting environment.
Practical Remodeling Suggestions for Aging in Place
To achieve the ideal aging-in-place remodel that offers accessibility, safety, comfort, and universal design, we recommend adaptations in the three main spaces of your home: the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen.
Bathroom Modifications
According to the National Institute on Aging, 80 percent of senior falls happen in the bathroom. This risk puts bathroom remodels at the top of our list. Here’s what you should look into first:
- Non-slip flooring: Non-slip flooring, both inside and outside of the shower, helps to reduce the risk of slipping and falling. If you want carpeting in certain areas, ensure they are non-slip and fixed in place.
- Walk-in showers: Showers with a wide door are comfortable and easy to access for anyone, even for seniors using a walker or wheelchair. This is a crucial remodel that eliminates the risk of falling by trying to step over the curb of a tub.
- Grab bars: Strategically placed grab bars and handrails provide support for getting in and out of the shower and getting up and down from the toilet, helping you feel safe throughout your bathroom.
- Built-in shower benches: Balance issues or not, shower benches are an incredible feature, as they provide comfort when washing and shaving. An added bonus is that they are indeed a safer seating option if you have balance issues, and they look beautiful, too!
- Higher toilets: Higher toilets and other modifications ensure easy access and use, making standing up easier.
- Outward swinging doors: Inside swinging doors can be an obstacle during an emergency. Outdoor swinging doors improve accessibility and safety.
Bedroom Improvements
After the bathroom, bedrooms rank high in terms of danger for many senior citizens. Here are our top three remodeling recommendations for making your bedroom safer and more comfortable:
- Appropriate lighting: Older adults often get out of bed several times during the night, either to use the bathroom or because they can’t sleep. Lights should be accessible, with simple switches close to the bed or even motion-activated lights that turn on immediately when standing up. Lighting can even be placed under the bed or around baseboards to illuminate tricky areas.
- Senior-friendly closets: Closets for aging-in-place should reduce the need for bending over or reaching too high, so rods and shelves should be placed at easy-to-reach heights.
- Accessible controls and outlets: To further avoid bending or stretching, outlets, temperature controls, and light switches should be placed at convenient locations and heights for easy, safe access.
- Safety rails: Grab bars aren’t only for the bathroom. Consider installing safety rails by the bed and along pathways to provide support when standing up or walking around the room. Our team will be sure the rails are securely mounted and can support weight.
Kitchen Adaptations
Cooking and preparing snacks and beverages in the kitchen helps many senior citizens maintain their autonomy and joy. However, your kitchen layout might make a once simple task a nightmare. Here are some aging-in-place solutions we recommend:
- Lower countertops: Lowering countertops and workspaces is helpful for older adults in wheelchairs or who have lost height. This makes cooking and preparing meals easier and more accessible (and is a bonus for grandparents with young grandchildren!)
- Accessible storage: Pullout and pulldown drawers instead of cabinets are an easy switch to discourage crouching and reaching. An added benefit is that they help with heavy items. Ideally, cookware, dinnerware, appliances, and pantry items should be stored between waist and shoulder height.
- Update lighting: Like everywhere in the house, adequate lighting is a non-negotiable for older adults, as insufficient lighting can be dangerous. For the kitchen, lighting should be placed above workstations, below upper cabinets, and in storage spaces. We can place lighting underneath cabinets, as well, to illuminate the floor.
- Replace drawer pulls and knobs: Round pull knobs can be challenging to grasp if you have arthritis. Wider drawer pulls, or D-shaped pulls, are a quick and stylish switch. Alternatively, you can explore touch drawer systems that open with a gentle push.
Common Aging-In-Place Modifications for Easy Living
With the bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom appropriately modified for aging in place, there are additional adaptations you can make to ensure your safety and comfort while moving around the house, helping you stay independent for longer. Here are some common aging-in-place features for your remodel:
- Hallway and staircase improvements: Install handrails on staircases and pathways, widen doorways throughout the home, and improve lighting to prevent falls.
- Replace doorknobs: Like in the kitchen, doorknobs can be difficult if you have arthritis or other mobility issues. Lever handles are much easier to use and look great, too.
- Outdoor spaces: Create a safe and accessible outdoor living area with features like ramps, level pathways, and comfortable seating areas. Adapting staircases and adding ramps into the house at various points will help you stay active.
- Smart home technology: Explore options like voice-activated controls, automated systems, and smart home security features to enhance convenience and independence. These features are particularly helpful in emergency situations when you can’t reach your phone.
Maximum Comfort and Safety in Your Home, with Help From Those Who Care
To ensure your aging-in-place remodel is tailored to your needs, consult a qualified specialist like CTIS Remodeling, who can assess your home and recommend appropriate modifications. If you decide to remodel with us, we can point you toward local resources and government programs that offer financial assistance or tax credits. Moreover, we are happy to offer financing options to help cover costs for your aging-in-place remodel.
By investing in these essential upgrades, you can create a safe, comfortable, and independent living space that allows you to enjoy your golden years to the fullest. If you’d like to learn more about our services and financing options, contact our team.
