Aging in place means spending your senior years in an environment you know and love: your own home.
As people live longer and healthier lives, many experts predict aging in place will replace more institutional arrangements, such as assisted living facilities. When adequate plans and provisions are made in advance, a residential design/build strategy combined with thoughtful use of technology can make this goal doable for many homeowners.
The professional team at Sage Builders LLC can help renovate your home today with a plan that meets the needs you’ll have tomorrow. Here are just some of the design/build considerations that go into remodeling a home for aging in place.
Outdoors
Landscaping is a supportive influence at any age, but choose plants and shrubs with less intensive care requirements. The home should include at least one no-step, covered main entry for easy access. If there is an outside surface, such as a deck or patio, it shouldn’t drop more than half an inch below the interior floor level. Exterior materials should be long-lasting and require minimal maintenance. Fiber cement is a great example because, unlike wood, it is resistant to rot and common pests such as termites.
Living Spaces
Provide the option of consolidating all daily living functions into a single floor. Eliminate steps up or down to enter rooms or halls. A 5-feet-by-5-feet turning area for walkers or wheelchairs should be incorporated into living spaces. Hallways should also be a minimum of 36 inches wide and well-lit. Make abundant use of natural light throughout the home and install windows with low sill height and easily manipulated hardware.
Bathrooms
Grab bars and handholds should be mounted at bathing and toilet facilities. Bathtubs with lower edges provide easier access, as do toilets raised two inches above normal height. All water taps should be protected by anti-scald devices.
Sage Builders LLC provides services for residential remodeling in the Boston area. Let us help you build for both the present and the future by designing aging in place compatibility into your next remodel.