A home holds thousands of memories, and you should not have to tell your home goodbye when you enter your Golden Years. According to the CDC, 90% of senior citizens over 65 wish to remain in their current homes. Although seniors want to live out their lives in their homes as long as possible, accidents are inevitable, and many happen inside the home. There might be some necessary changes that need to be made to your home to ensure your safety. Consider these five ways to adapt your home for your Golden Years.
- Redo your home entry
As a senior, the entry to your home is one of the most critical aspects of your home, considering it is the way you walk in and out. When you grow older, your mobility might become limited. Although you might not be using a walker or wheelchair right now does not mean you won’t in ten years. If you plan on living out your retirement inside your home, you might need to redo your home entry.
According to Harvard’s Age in Place study, less than half of America’s homes have at least one no-step entry. If the entry to your home requires you to walk up steps, you might want to consider eliminating the stairs and turning them into a non-skid ramp or inclined walkway.
It would help if you also considered the light fixtures in your home’s entryway. If you do not have any lighting at your door, install new, updated lighting! Consider getting rid of any rugs by your door, as well, since rugs can be a tripping hazard.
- Declutter your home
If you have lived inside your home for a while, you likely have accumulated a whole lot of decorations, souvenirs, clothes, personal items, knick-knacks, and more. An easy way to adapt your home is by going through and decluttering your belongings. Reorganizing your things can help ease anxiety and reduce stress.
When you go through your things, ask yourself, “When was the last time I used this? Will I ever use it again?” If your answers lean towards you not benefiting from the item, get rid of it! Once you purge through your possessions, you will likely have more space throughout your home, making it tidier.
- Upgrade your bathroom
Bathrooms tend to cause seniors to fall and injure themselves more easily since the room is slippery. Seniors are more prone to accidents when they get in and out of the shower and bathtub. Upgrading your bathroom to be more senior-friendly can help reduce the chance of you falling.
Renovating your shower can benefit you in the long run! Installing a walk-in shower can make getting in and out of the shower safer for you. When you don’t have to step into a tub, it can help reduce the chance of you falling and having an accident.
Grab bars are another modification you can add to your bathroom. Grab bars range between $20-$100 and can be easily installed by the shower and toilet. A grab bar can help you balance and are an excellent safety precaution.
- Adapt your bedroom
Since you will spend a lot of time in your bedroom, you will want to think about making changes to it. For example, if your bedroom is on the second floor, you should consider changing rooms and moving your belongings to a room downstairs. When you get older, you might not be able to walk up and down the stairs safely like you can now.
Another change you can make is investing in a new bed. If you currently struggle to get in and out of bed due to your bed being too high, you will want to lower it. You should not have to use a stepping stool to get on top of your bed, and when you are older, it can become tiresome.
- Get rid of tripping hazards
The leading cause of injury in senior citizens is falling. You can reduce your chance of falling inside your home whenever you make the appropriate adaptations. Start by moving your furniture around to make your home more of an open environment. If you end up needing to use a walker or wheelchair, you will want to have as much room as possible to navigate throughout your home.
As briefly mentioned above, rugs are a tripping hazard. If you have rugs throughout your home, you should consider getting rid of them or taping them down so you cannot get caught up in them and fall. The lighting throughout your home can also play a role in falling. Think about installing more lights throughout your home’s hallways, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom.
Final point
Adapting your home as a senior is vital to ensure you can live there safely and without worry. If you plan on living your retirement inside your home, implement these five changes to your home, so your Golden Years stay golden.