How to Remodel Your Home for an Aging Relative
Many individuals find themselves needing to care for their aging parents and other relatives as they get older. However, before they move in, you need to make sure your home is accommodating to all of their needs. These are a few remodels you may want to consider.
How to Remodel Your Home for an Aging Relative: Create Wider Doorways
Many individuals who are advanced in age need some help moving around. Many different types of machinery can help older individuals be able to move around more freely. If they still have most of their range of motion, they may use a cane or a walker. Both of these may require bigger doorways to be able to move freely. In some cases, older people need wheelchairs to get around, which really does require wider doorways to move through. If your aging relative is moving into your home, this is an incredibly considerate remodel you can do to make them feel more at home. They may feel embarrassed to have to ask for different special renovations. Doing it before they move in can help them feel more welcomed.
Improve Bathroom Safety
Along with navigating throughout the house, you also need to be sure your aging relative remains safe in the bathroom. With impaired balance and strength, bathrooms can become dangerous if the proper precautions are not taken. According to Med Mart, 80 percent of falls happen in the bathroom. It’s important to include the necessary safety features to help your aging relative be able to use the bathroom in safety. For starters, ensure you have handrails next to the toilet and in the shower that they can grab onto. Next, swap your shower or tub out to a walk-in shower that is accessible for someone with limited mobility. Finally, include a mat in the shower that stops them from slipping around and potentially hurting themselves in the shower.
How to Remodel Your Home for an Aging Relative: Add a Stair Lift
With the decreased mobility that comes as a person ages, getting up and down stairs can be incredibly difficult. If your home has stairs that need to be accessed by this individual, Symmetry suggests adding a stair lift into your home. These make navigating your home easier for any aging relative that moves in with you. With a stair lift, they’ll be able to go throughout your home and feel more independent. They can operate a stair lift without assistance, so they won’t need your help getting up and down the stairs.
It is an incredibly selfless act to bring an aging relative into your home. This allows you to bring a loved one into your home and take care of them when they need you. To make your home as accommodating as possible, consider these renovations before your aging relative moves in.
Check out this article on how neglecting maintenance can create problems for your home!
Steelbridge Realty LLC is a Licensed Real Estate Brokerage that utilizes cutting-edge marketing techniques and data-driven Real Estate solutions in today’s ever-changing environment. Our group of professionals have decades of experience and have navigated through many business cycles. Our diverse background gives us the tools to guide people towards successful decisions.
