Ninety-two percent of older adults say they would prefer living out their later years in the comfort of home, according to a survey from Forbes Health. But despite the desire to age in place, it may not seem realistic for those experiencing mobility limitations. However, with the proper modifications—some minor, others major—a home can be made safe and functional, allowing individuals to live independently and comfortably. 

ACCESSIBILITY 

A home’s accessibility is a necessity not often thought about until one’s forced to, like when an aging loved one experiences a change in their mobility. Stairs, doorways, and thresholds are common hurdles that make a home inaccessible or difficult for older adults to navigate. If you’re going to tweak a home for the purpose of aging in place, you should begin by evaluating its accessibility for restricted mobility.  

To start, consider the dimensions of doorways and high-priority rooms, such as the kitchen and bathrooms. Good circulation and appropriate opening widths are high priority when accommodating a walker or wheelchair moving freely within a space, says Kylene Alexander, senior lead designer and operations manager of Design Shop Interiors (designshopinteriors.com). Kent Eberle, president and owner of Eberle Remodeling (eberleremodeling.com), suggests enlarging bathrooms and other rooms by taking space from adjoining closets or other spaces to create more accessibility.  

When it comes to the kitchen, Alexander recommends getting rid of a free-standing range and oven combination—which requires bending and reaching during use and can be dangerous for adults with restricted movement—in favor of a cooktop plus wall oven configuration. “Placing an oven at a more appropriate height for the homeowner helps increase accessibility for those who have a more limited range of motion,” says Alexander. 

“What frequently drives people out of their homes is inaccessible bathrooms, in particular, inaccessible showers or tubs,” says Eberle. Typical showers have curbs that are six to seven inches high, which can be difficult to clear with restricted mobility and impossible for those with a wheelchair. To solve this problem, swap a traditional shower for a low-barrier or barrier-free shower, the latter of which allows disabled adults to wheel into it. Additional considerations include reconfiguring and customizing the bathroom to your individual needs. “Your plumbing locations need to be thought out, tested, and approved for the homeowner’s size and ergonomic requirements or needs,” says Noland Williams of Roseville Remodeling Construction, Inc. (rosevilleremodeling.com). 

Single-story homes are ideal for aging in place because of their lack of stairs. Still, if a homeowner is set on staying in their two-story home, making improvements—like a stair lift or an elevator—while pricey, make going up and down floors possible. “While interior improvements may be required, exterior improvements, like ramps, may also need to be considered to allow for ease of entry,” says Eberle. 

SAFETY 

With a few additions and swaps, a home can be retrofitted to ensure the safety of adults aging at home. Within the bathroom, install a hand shower and add grab bars to hold onto as you bathe and a bench within the shower. “It's also important to have well-designed lighting options, such as ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting,” says Alexander. “Opting for sconces on the sides of your bathroom mirror with the light casting out instead of sconces above the mirror helps prevent shadows created by downward-facing lights.” 

Alexander also recommends having hard surface flooring, like tile, in the kitchen, because of their slip resistance and low-maintenance functionality. “High sheens should be avoided, while smaller format tiles help increase slip resistance due to the added texture of grout.”   

CONVENIENCE 

To create a supportive environment for aging in place, optimize a home’s comfort and convenience with low-maintenance selections. Eberle recommends staying away from fiberglass shower pans that are easily scratched and difficult to clean. “Be careful of natural stone pebble-style shower floors; though they look great, they're a yearly maintenance item for homeowners,” says Williams. He also recommends installing heated floors or a heat vent fan in the bathroom, while Alexander recommends opting for levers in place of knobs as hardware throughout the home. 

by Nelly Kislyanka

Top image © Marina Demidiuk - stock.adobe.com. Kitchen image © ventura - stock.adobe.com. Wheelchair image © Stock Images - stock.adobe.com. Top image © Nattapat - stock.adobe.com. Bottom image © Adisorn - stock.adobe.com.