Remodeling Benefits to Age in Place

Nobody likes to think of themselves as "old." But the fact is that the aging process begins from the moment we are born. Ugh, I know, I don't wanna go there. I'm kicking and fighting every day.

As I said in my last blog, there are numerous benefits surrounding design integrating mobility for all from the very beginning of construction. Besides the convenience and safety afforded to the disabled, the process of integrating universal design preserves a home's usefulness for all people. It is forward-thinking to use aging-in-place practices in all homes.

Take the curbless shower. I have always loved a curbless shower and just recently discovered its accessibility benefits. They are UNIVERSAL. Everyone can enjoy a curbless shower. It is actually the latest European trend. Oh, and I will never have or design a shower without a shower seat. It is a necessity for all, including me!

It takes some thought to design a home to be barrier free for all but it can be accomplished if the right rules are followed. The ADA, the NKBA, National Kitchen and Bath Association, and many other organizations provide guidelines for barrier-free living. Architects and designers are all aware of these guidelines but only use them to their full potential when forced to facilitate universal design. I say implement these strategies in all homes, thereby increasing the likelihood of all people to have the ability to remain in their homes long after their bodies begin the process of aging(groan). It is a fact of life nobody wants to face but it is inevitable.

"Boomers are looking for homes that will serve them well today and meet their needs in the future. Many see the challenges that their parents and older relatives are facing, and they want to avoid those as much as possible. They are also thinking about making the most of their later years. Now is the time to show them how good design can give them the best of both worlds." From the ASID Icon, Designs for Senior Living, November/December 2007

New Construction Benefits to Age in Place

As I said in my last blog, I am going to continue to educate you on the concept of remaining in your home even after being physically challenged in any way, disabled, and the ability to age in place.

Following up on accessibility for the mobility challenged, I have attached a link which shows the financial implications of building a new home to facilitate aging in place versus renovating an existing home. If one were to renovate an existing home to create accessibility, it would cost almost as much as it would to build a new home implementing ADA guidelines. Therefore, every new home construction should integrate ADA guidelines for the future of universal design.

Since our aging population is growing steadily, these modifications can aid an elderly person to remain within their own home as they may decline in health, thereby saving them close to $80,000 per year, as I shared in my last blog.

Using these guidelines is not difficult but it does take thought on the part of architects, designers and builders. According to this study, "Given that a vast majority of people prefer to stay in their homes as they age, it will be necessary for the housing industry to facilitate aging in place."

Change in Direction

I am changing direction at this time in my blog from my home to your home, from the ease of full mobility which most of us enjoy, to the possible lack of mobility and future wheelchair/walker use or other health issues which can cause daily activities in your home to be challenging issues. Did you know that it costs an average of $79,000 per year for a private or semi-private room in a nursing home? At this point the cost is increasing approximately 3% per year. That means that, depending on your age, you will be facing a long retirement spending your life savings up in a short amount of time. My thinking is this: Unless you are severely disabled, wouldn't you want to remain in your home as long as possible? I live in a ranch home. You would think that any person who is up in age or facing possible health issues would look for a ranch home to ease their mobility. What I have found is that my ranch home is in no way accessible for anyone with a physical disability. A myriad of obstacles face the physically challenged. There is one step going into every entry doorway. My hallways are too narrow for wheelchair access. My bathrooms are cramped and circuitous. My laundry room is too narrow. My outlets are too low. My thresholds between floor changes are too high. My master bedroom is at the end of a narrow hallway and the master bath is in a small closet-sized room. The list goes on. My long-term goal in my home is to make it as handicap accessible as possible. I will be educating you in the process so you can do the same in your home. I will begin with my hall bathroom. The width of a wheelchair is 30". That means that a doorway must be a mininum of 32" for a user to be able to get their chair through. As you can see, my current doorway of 27" is too small for a wheelchair to enter. In order to enter the bathroom, one would have to turn a corner into the hallway which is only 38" wide. My plan is to change the doorway from the hall side to the lower side (in the picture). Since my bathroom is only 70" wide, wheelchair use is not going to be totally possible, as a 60" radius is needed for wheelchair turnaround. But I will get as close as possible. First things first, I must contact the necessary specialists to advise me if it is possible to change the doorway and all the plumbing I want to change around to have a less circuitous path in this bathroom. Stay tuned...