10 things you can do to make your home easier to navigate as you get older
Everyone wants to stay in their home as long as possible. No one wants to go to a nursing home. Many of my clients are a few years from retirement and want to plan a “forever home.” They want a home that looks good now and will function for them as their mobility changes. Many of them are also planning on their parents moving in with them. ‘Universal Design’, ‘inclusive design’, ‘55+ design’, ‘accessible design’, ‘forever house’ and ‘aging in place’ are all phrases for homes that are ready for us during all levels of independence and mobility.
There are two stages to get your home ready for the long run.
First, there are the simple DIY changes. These can be done over time as appliances need replacing or we update our homes. Click HERE to download Ten Easy Things You Can Do to Maintain Your Lifestyle in Retirement.
Another easy change is to embrace technology. We all want to avoid fitting the stereotype of old folks who don’t want to embrace technology. If you haven’t seen the SNL skit about the Amazon Echo, have a good laugh, and you’ll see what I mean.
On the serious side, technology plays an important role in helping keep us out of retirement or nursing homes. Siri, Alexa, and other virtual assistants can call someone when we can’t reach the phone, or remind us to take our medicine. They can tie into other apps that let us see who’s at the door and unlock the door without getting up. Aging in place longer will depend on us being open to new technology.
The second level is when we need a walker or wheelchair. Renovations are usually needed to keep us functioning in our homes. Some of the changes might be structural, such as widening doors and hallways, or eliminating steps. Since renovations are expensive, we want changes that are attractive and don’t feel institutional or like a nursing home.
An architect can help transform your home to meet your needs and be more flexible.
