If you’re thinking about investing in a few renovations, then you should consider home improvements that will add function to your home. However, don’t just think about what you currently need. Your needs are likely to change as you age. If you plan on growing old in your home, you’ll want to prepare for the potential health challenges that people commonly face as they grow older, such as a lack of mobility. Consider budget-friendly home improvements that will make your home easier to use and safer for when you’re older, such as the following:
If your main bathroom has a bathtub in it, you might want to consider swapping it out with a walk-in shower. A bathtub is going to get progressively more difficult to get in and out of as you age and could pose a potential safety risk as a result. A walk-in shower is easy to use, especially if it’s a curb-less shower. This means that even if you were in a wheelchair, you’d easily be able to get in and out of the shower. Additionally, walk-in showers help make your bathroom feel more spacious!
If you live in a home that has more than one floor, odds are that your main bedroom is upstairs. You might want to begin planning for the difficulty of going up and down your stairs every day by converting one of your first floor rooms into another bedroom. For example, if you have an office room, you may want to turn it into another bedroom. That first-floor bedroom can be used as a guest room until you decide that you need it to be your main bedroom as a result of limited mobility when you’re older.
It can never hurt to add more lighting to your home, especially in poorly lit spaces, such as your basement, attic, or some of your hallways. You can even add lighting to more well-lit areas, like your bedrooms and bathrooms. One thing that tends to diminish as you age is eyesight, which means that it can become more difficult to get around your house if it’s not well lit. This can lead to potential injuries should you trip and fall as a result. If you’re worried about too much lighting, simply add dimmers so that you can control how much light a space receives.
Certain door knobs and door handles may become difficult to use when you’re older, especially if you develop physical issues, such as arthritis. One of the most affordable home improvements you can make is simply upgrading the handles and knobs on your doors, cabinets, and drawers so that they are easier to use.
You’ll want to install grab bars in the shower and near the toilet to improve your bathroom’s safety when you’re older. You should also consider installing handrails on both sides of your stairs.
If you can, build small ramps up to your home’s entrances even if you’re only eliminating a few steps. This will make life much easier if you become more physically limited when you grow older.
These are just a few home improvements that will make your home more senior-friendly in terms of function and safety for when you grow older (or if any seniors in your family move in with you). You can find out more about making home modifications for seniors by checking the design standards established by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), and contact us at Community Renovations for a consultation. We’re happy to discuss affordable changes you can make to your home for now and in the future.