Adapting Your Home As You Age

Did you know that the average person will spend over 20 years of their life in their home?  With a few simple modifications, you can ensure that your home is a safe and comfortable place to live for many years to come.  In this article, we'll discuss some of the most important adaptations you can make to your home as you age. We'll also talk about the benefits of aging in place, and how to find the right contractors to help with your home modification project.

As we age, our bodies go through changes that can make everyday activities more difficult. Simple things that were once easy to do - like opening a jar, getting out of a chair, climbing stairs or taking a shower - can become difficult or even impossible. This is why it's so important to make sure that our homes are properly set up to accommodate our changing needs. Home modifications can range from something as simple as adding grab bars in the shower, to something as complex as installing an elevator, but it doesn't have to be that complicated!

Here are just a few of the ways you can modify your home to make life easier as you age:

1. Install grab bars in the bathroom. Grab bars provide extra support and stability when getting in and out of the shower or bathtub. They can also be used to help traversing stairs.
2. Widen doorways and hallways. As we age, it's not uncommon for our mobility to be reduced. Widening doorways and hallways will give you more space to maneuver, and will also make it easier for wheelchair users or those with walkers to get around your home.
3. Add ramps or raise thresholds. Ramps can be used in lieu of steps, making it easier to get in and out of your home. Raising thresholds will eliminate the need for step-overs, which can be difficult for seniors with mobility issues.
4. Install flat-surfaced flooring throughout your home. Carpeting and rugs can be difficult to navigate for seniors with walkers or wheelchairs. Flat flooring surfaces like hardwood or tile are much easier to maneuver on, and will also reduce the risk of falls.
5. Convert cabinets and drawers into rollout shelves. Bending down to reach items stored in lower cabinets and drawers can be difficult for seniors with back problems or limited mobility. Rollout shelves provide easy access to all of your belongings, regardless of where they're stored in your home.

Making these simple modifications to your home can go a long way towards maintaining your independence as you age. Additionally, aging in place has been shown to have numerous physical, mental, and emotional benefits for seniors (https://www2.bhcourier com/aging-in-place-benefits/). When compared with senior living facilities, aging in place has been shown to cause less anxiety, provide better physical health outcomes, and improve mental well-being overall.

If you're thinking about making modifications to your home, it's important to work with reputable CAPS Certified contractors who have experience completing Aging in place projects like these.

"Under One Roof" is a CAPS certified business. We help aging and disabled Beaufort County residents by providing no-cost home modifications and ramps. Get more information about "Under One Roof" Aging-in-Place Specialists by visiting our website or clicking the link below!