Health & Fitness
Aging in Place Tips: The Accessible House Plan
With a bit of careful planning, you can make your home more aging-in-place friendly with these remodeling ideas.
Aging is inevitable, but it’s not inevitable that we will have to forgo our homes when we become less active. With a bit of careful planning, we can create an accessible house plan in our existing home that will work well through all stages of life. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Make Things Easier to Reach:Move the bathroom medicine cabinet to the side of the bathroom vanity. Lower racks, shelves, and poles in closets to make clothing easier to reach. Also, you may want to install a platform under your front-loading washer and dryer so it’s easier to reach inside without bending too far.
- Make Moving Around Easier: Consider widening doors to accommodate future assisted walking or wheelchairs. Make sure flooring in the kitchen and bath has a non-slip finish and has a matte tone to diminish the glare of overhead lighting. Consider handrails in hallways if balance is an issue.
- Make Things Easier to Use: Replace standard door knobs with levers that are easier to maneuver. Install grab bars and railings near the toilet and in the bath. Change your thermostat to one with large digital illuminated characters.
Click here for more quick tips on remodeling your home so you or your loved ones can maintain independence and age-in-place. For more information on this and other home improvements, please visit the Northwood Construction website.
