How to Adapt Your Home for Aging in Place
It’s important to plan for the future and learn how to adapt your home for aging in place. This is the best way to ensure that you can stay in your own home, surrounded by your memories, personal belongings, and the life that you’ve loved.
Aging in place means staying in your own home as you get older. This is a desire many people share. However, as we age, our homes may need modifications or adjustments to ensure our safety, comfort, and accessibility.
Let’s talk about some practical ways that you can adapt your Spokane County home so that you can safely age in place.
Lighting
Your home needs to be well-lit in order to be safe. You may need to replace your current bulbs with brighter ones or install motion-activated lights in hazardous areas like stairs. As you get older, your vision may begin to deteriorate and it may be harder to see.
Bathroom
The bathroom is one of the most hazardous places in your home. It’s easy to slip and fall on wet surfaces, for example. It’s important to make proactive changes to keep yourself safe in the bathroom. For example:
- Grab Bars can be placed near the toilet, shower or bathtub for extra stability.
- Non-slip flooring can prevent slips and falls even when surfaces are wet.
- Shower seats can give you a safe place to rest while you’re showering.
- Raised toilet seats can make it easier to sit down and stand up.
- Walk-in shower or tubs can reduce the risk of falls.
Make sure to arrange your countertops so that essential items are within easy reach as well.
Kitchen
The kitchen is another area where many seniors struggle as they age. As our bodies get older, it’s harder to climb, stretch, and bend down. Whenever possible, place the items you use regularly in easy-to-reach areas.
- Accessible appliances should have easy-to-use controls and features.
- Adding lighting under cabinets can make it easier to see your kitchen space.
- Pull-out drawers and cupboards can help you access items in hard to reach areas.
- Lever-style faucets can be easier to turn on and off than traditional knob faucets.
Bedroom
Your bedroom should be a haven for rest and relaxation, so it’s important to make sure that you can stay safe there all night long.
- Adjust your bed height so that it’s comfortable and easy to get in and out. If it’s too high or too low, it can cause pain or even lead to falls.
- Remove tripping hazards like loose rugs, cords, or floor clutter so that you don’t risk tripping in the dark.
- Place nightlights or motion activated lights along the path from your bed to the bathroom so that you don’t stumble in the nighttime.
General Tips
As you go from room to room, there are many general improvements that can make your home safer for aging adults.
Install handrails near stairs or step for added support.
- Remove rugs or loose carpets that can cause tripping.
- Add extra lighting in hallways, entryways or dark areas where it may be difficult to navigate.
- Add a ramp or stair lift if the home has multiple levels or if stairs are especially challenging.
Heartfelt Highlights
Learning how to adapt your home for aging in place is an important step toward healthy aging. Whether you’re taking these steps for yourself or a loved one, these practical tips should help you maintain a safe and comfortable atmosphere.
Remember, you can always contact Visiting Angels for a free in-home consultation. We can create a custom care plant or you that will help you age safely in your home with additional support like light housekeeping, meal prep, medication reminders, companionship care and more!