Making A Senior Friendly Home

Creating a safe and senior friendly home and environment is one of the most important steps in helping seniors to age place. Typically, this involves things like being proactive in terms of fall prevention, moving seniors from an upstairs bedroom to a first-floor room and making the home as accessible as possible for mobility aids.

Considering A Senior Friendly Home

However, unless a senior is bedbound, odds are they are spending time in your home or the homes of close friends and family members in addition to their own. In this case, it’s important that all homes are as senior friendly as possible. In fact, this tenet is becoming so widespread that many contractors and remodeling professionals are advocating “livable” home designs – interior designs that are safe and accessible for all.

If you happen to be planning a kitchen or bathroom remodel, talk to the design-build team about accessible or universal design changes that will adapt your kitchen for seniors, children or adults with mobility aids. In addition to making your home safer for senior friends and relatives, you also benefit from a safer and more occupant-friendly environment as well as wider resale appeal.

Things to consider include:

Minimal stairs and easy-access-entryways.

Even the slightest of injuries, like a sprained ankle, can make it tricky to navigate stairs. So, imagine what it’s like when you are weaker, suffer from arthritis or have to use a cane or walker on a regular basis. Stairs are in impossibility for those in a wheelchair. For these reasons, accessible homes include at least one, single-level entryway or a gently sloped ramp so access in and out of the home is both safe and comfortable.

Wider doorways and hallways.

Again, mobility aids make it challenging to navigate narrow hallways and doorways. Even access around the dining room tables, kitchen islands, perimeter countertops, and living room furniture can be a problem. When arranging furniture or designing permanent features, try to keep a width of at least 32-inches between objects so individuals with walkers, crutches or wheelchairs can maneuver without a struggle.

Slip-free floors.

Here’s another area where livable designs make for all-around safer homes. Hard surface flooring can be dangerous for adults and children if they aren’t made using slip-proof materials. This is especially true for kitchens and bathrooms, where wet floors are more common. That being said, hard-surfaces and low-profile carpets are the easiest for the elderly and those with mobility aids to navigate, so be thoughtful of that when choosing flooring surfaces.

Downstairs bedrooms.

Even if stairs aren’t impossible to navigate, they can exacerbate latent physical issues – like arthritic knees and hips, weaker muscles or equilibrium challenges. Stairs also make for a much more dangerous fall if seniors lose their balance. If at all possible, senior guests should have access to a downstairs bedroom, even if that means temporarily converting a den, office or child’s room into a guest room.

Re-organize cabinet spaces.

If a senior will be staying with you for more than a day or two, or if a senior relative will be moving in, you may need to re-organize your cabinets. Keep everyday dishware, mugs and cooking utensils in easy-to-reach places. Typically, this includes the upper shelving in bottom cabinets and lower shelving in the upper cabinets. The same goes for the bathroom. The ideas are to eliminate as bending/crouching- or requiring a step stool - as much as possible. If you’ are considering a remodel, look into cabinetry with pull-out shelving, which makes storage even more convenient.

Room By Room Quick Home Safety Opportunities

Kitchen

• Put everyday items in the cupboards that are the easiest to reach
• Replace knobs on faucets and cabinets with handles or bars
• Clearly label all stove and oven dials with stickers or brightly colored markers
• Install slide-out bins in lower cabinets
• Elevate the dishwasher or invest in dishwasher drawers
• Replace glass cups and plates with plastic

Bathroom

• Raise toilet seat or purchase a chair-height toilet
• Install handrails near toilet and in bath or shower
• Use a hand-held shower head and store it low
• Install a secure seat in bathtub or shower
• Place non-slip decals or mat in the tub or shower
• Replace knobs on faucets and drawers with handles or bars

Bedroom

• Re-locate bedroom to first floor
• Clear off a solid chair or bench to make dressing easier
• Hang a shoe rack in the closet
• Move everyday items to the top drawers in dressers

All Areas of the Home

• Replace all light bulbs with brighter ones
• Position electrical cords and computer cables under furniture and against walls
• Make sure all windows can be opened easily
• Replace small appliances with those that have an automatic shut-off feature
• Remove furniture that is low to the ground making it hard to get out of
• Remove tables with sharp corners from high-traffic areas
• Make sure entrances to homes are brightly lit and stairs and porches have handrails
• Lock or replace casters on any chairs or furniture
• Set up lamps so they can be turned on and off from a light switch
• Place reflective tape on stairs
• Remove area rugs to prevent tripping and obstacles for walkers
• Replace stairs with ramps
• Use nightlights in every room including halls
• Replace door knobs with handles
• Make sure there are temperature controls on the hot water heater
• Install handrails in hallways and near steps
• Widen doors for walkers or wheelchairs
• Stick reflective decals on sliding glass doors
• Remove locks on all interior doors in case of an emergency

Many of the items listed are quick fixes while others may require a bit more effort to implement. The goal is to make moving around the home and performing everyday task as easy and as safe as possible for your aging parents.

Need help making your home a senior friendly home?

Consider a consultation with HomeAide Home Care. Our consultations are always free and we’ll leave you with tips and recommendations on simple changes that will make your home more safe and accessible for all of its occupants.