Aging in Place

America is getting older and we are living longer. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Americans age 65 and older will rise to more than 73 million in 2030. Aging in Place means adapting your home as you age.  It has become a booming business for remodeling contractors.  Our founder, Dave Sipos, is a certified Aging in Place specialist by the National Association of Home Builders.  Dave has extensive training in the unique needs of older adults.

Plan Now for Aging in Place

Roughly 90 percent of adults over the age of 65 would prefer to stay in their current home as they age.  If you plan to stay in your home, it makes sense to plan now.  A young couple remodeling their kitchen today would like the convenience of base drawers.  This feature that will make life easier as  they age into their golden years.  During a bathroom remodel, prepare the walls now so that grab bar installation is easy and affordable in the future.   A wall mounted shower bench that folds away feels like a luxury when you’re young but it is a safety feature for an older person.

According to HomeAdvisor’s 2016 Aging-in Place Report, homeowners over age 55 want to make proactive changes to their homes but they don’t want their house to look like it’s been “senior proofed”.  The good news is there are plenty of creative aging in place design ideas that go beyond grab bars and ramps.  If you are thinking of remodeling your house, give us a call!

Aging in Place Design Ideas

Some Aging in Place changes you can do on your own now.  Add a table outside the entryway to your home.  Now you have a place to put packages at a comfortable height while you unlock the door.  Do you have throw rugs in the living area?  They are a trip hazard, it is best to remove them.  A very simple Aging in Place solution is to increase lighting around your house.  Adding grab bars is a great safety feature but you need to be able to see them.  Lights that add illumination without glare throughout the house helps people of all ages.

Bathrooms

There comes a time when stepping over the side of a bathtub can be a challenge and the side of that tub seems to get a little higher each year. One of our favorite aging in place ideas is a curbless walk-in shower. The shower area can be open creating a ‘wet room’ or a custom glass enclosure can divide it from the rest of the room.  Both designs allow you to walk into the shower, eliminating the danger of stepping over the side of the tub.  A shower bench can be mounted to the shower wall and folded away to allow room for a wheelchair if necessary.

Chair height or “comfort height” toilets are 17 to 19 inches high which makes standing up easier for most folks.  Lever faucet handles and touch-less faucets are a benefit to people who have limited mobility with their hands.

Kitchens

In the kitchen, raising and lowering counter heights to accommodate both sitting and standing can make food preparation more comfortable.  A pot filler over the stove is very handy and eliminates carrying a full pot of water from the sink to the stove.  Cabinets with roll out trays and full extension drawer slides make getting things in and out of the cabinets a breeze.

These are just a few ideas on how you can age in place at home.  Are you ready to get started?  Give us a call.

Sawgrass Plantation Enterprises is Volusia County’s most trusted contractor. Serving Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, South Daytona, Ponce Inlet, Holly Hill, Wilbur by the Sea, Port Orange, Ormond Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater and the Florida Shores since 1983.