10 Upgrades Seniors Are Making To Their Properties In Lieu Of Retirement Amenities

More and more, seniors are opting to improve their houses to make them extra accessible relatively than getting into retirement amenities. In line with AARP, in 2021, 77% of adults over 50 would favor to age in place if that they had the selection. Getting old in place could make extra monetary sense for some seniors as a result of rising prices of assisted dwelling care.

 A latest Value of Care Survey from Genworth Monetary discovered that the nationwide median month-to-month value of assisted dwelling is about $5,350. Alternatively, dwelling modifications can vary from very inexpensive smaller initiatives to larger-scale renovations. Listed here are 10 upgrades seniors are making to their houses in lieu of retirement amenities. 

1. Upgrading Bogs

The commonest upgrades seniors are making to their houses are toilet updates. Renovations could embrace putting in walk-in showers or tubs, handheld bathe heads, seize bars, bathe seats, and raised bogs. 

Retrofitting bogs has turn out to be very straightforward and extra inexpensive. Many installers can accomplish this mission in a day with no permits concerned. These upgrades permit seniors additional security of their bogs, the place accidents are more likely to occur. 

2. Incorporating Further Lighting

Most slips and falls happen at night time due to decreased visibility. To fight this, seniors are including extra lighting with straightforward rocker switches or movement sensors. Spotlights are additionally essential in closely used areas just like the kitchen. 

3. Investing In Sensible Residence Know-how

Sensible expertise may give seniors an additional stage of safety of their houses. Safety programs like Ring are straightforward to make use of and are managed by an app. Many seniors are additionally including programs that regulate their thermostats, flip off plugs or the range, provide you with a warning when a door is opened, and activate lights. Moreover, some programs may be useful in an emergency by alerting emergency companies and family members.

4. Shopping for New Furnishings

Not solely are structural enhancements crucial, however seniors are additionally contemplating how their furnishings may also help them age in place. Ergonomic furnishings may be useful if seniors expertise mobility points down the road. 

Many seniors are additionally contemplating if their furnishings layouts can have additional house for shifting round and, subsequently, are choosing much less cumbersome furnishings with fewer sharp edges. 

5. Transferring The Major Bed room to The First Degree

Seniors are additionally reconsidering the tales of their houses and making crucial changes, resembling shifting their major bed room to the primary flooring or including a toilet on the principle stage to keep away from stairs. If shifting their bed room to the primary flooring isn’t potential, seniors also can add stair lifts for elevated accessibility. Stair lifts can usually value between $4,000 and $8,000. 

6. Changing Slippery Flooring

Slips and falls are the main reason behind harm to seniors who select to age in place. Many seniors are altering their flooring to keep away from this, particularly if they’ve slippery tile or hardwood flooring. A low and dense pile carpet is the only option for extra traction. 

7. Including Outside Ramps and Handrails

Accessibility outdoors the house is an important enchancment for seniors. Including a ramp and handrails offers seniors peace of thoughts that they’ll simply come and go from their houses. The typical value of a ramp ranges from $1,300 to $4,000.

8. Modifying Kitchen Design

Cuts and burns are the second commonest kind of harm to seniors within the dwelling after falls. To assist keep away from this, seniors are modifying their kitchens by decreasing counter tops and rounding counter edges. 

One other straightforward repair is swapping out drawer and cupboard pulls for wider pulls with smooth ergonomic shapes, making them simpler to understand. Delicate-close cupboards and drawers are additionally straightforward additions. Altering out broad basin sinks for one thing shallower can be a good suggestion to keep away from an excessive amount of bending over. Most hands-free sinks even have anti-scald gadgets. It might even be useful to widen the kitchen’s footprint for additional accessibility. 

9. Swapping Spherical Door Knobs for Lever Handles

An easy swap that seniors are making is changing spherical door handles round the home with lever handles. These handles are a lot simpler to grip, particularly for these with arthritis. 

10. Repurposing Rooms for Hobbies

Seniors are additionally updating their houses to accommodate how they wish to spend their golden years. For some seniors, this implies upgrading an grownup little one’s previous room to an artwork studio or cozy library. 

Offset the Value of Residence Upgrades

Upgrading your own home in an effort to age in place as an alternative of shifting right into a retirement facility doesn’t have to be a frightening endeavor. By specializing in these 10 commonest upgrades seniors are making to their houses, you may keep in your house it doesn’t matter what your wants is likely to be sooner or later. 

Whereas these initiatives vary in value, some could also be lined by insurance coverage or be tax deductible. This financial help may also help you offset the prices related to getting older in place.

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Teri Monroe began her profession in communications working for native authorities and nonprofits. At present, she is a contract finance and life-style author and small enterprise proprietor. In her spare time, she loves {golfing} along with her husband, taking her canine Milo on lengthy walks, and enjoying pickleball with mates.