A Home that Grows Old Gracefully

A home designed for your older years will help you to function as fully as possible, and will mean that you can take care of yourself for longer. Install non-slip level accesses, ideally two of them, and provide well-lit seating outside the entrance to rest weary legs or heavy bags. Recess or anchor mats are a helpful thing to have, and install peepholes in doors that are accessible from the outside.

Opt for open spaces, offset hinges that allow a door to swing away from the jamb, and choose double, recessed or concertina doors to give wide lines of sight. It is best to choose smooth, easy-to-clean vinyl or leather seating surfaces that allow for easy movement. Chair arms should come all the way to the front to assist in getting up, while for those in wheelchairs there should be no arms at all in order to make for an easy transfer. Allow space for a care-giver, such as a spare room or den where they can be fairly self-sustained. Equip it with at least a sofabed or wall-bed, as well as phone, internet, TV, and wardrobe. If you can, provide a private bathroom. A bathroom and bedroom on the ground floor are so desirable for many baby-boomers that real estate agents are starting to list them as a selling point. Think of safety and convenience in appliances. Install cooker controls at the front rather than the back, for example, so that they are easily accessible by both walking and chair-bound occupants.

Source: Palm Springs Life