A Guide for Home Renovation For Senior Citizens
After working hard all their lives and having achieved their goals, seniors only look for one thing: comfort. As you get old, your physical strength starts diminishing and it gets very difficult to get around the house. This is when you need to renovate and reconstruct the home to resolve these issues.
Renovating your house is a better option as compared to a major remodel or whole reconstruction. This can cost you thousands of dollars. Therefore, a better idea is to renovate the place either for yourself or your family members. Here are some very effective renovation suggestions for seniors.
1. Change Your Door Handles With Lever-Style Knobs
We often see around doorknobs attached to all the doors in houses. The twisting motion can make it difficult for old-aged individuals because their weak bones and weaknesses do not allow them a lot of movements. Lever-style doorknobs are easy to grip and even doctors suggest these knobs to people who suffer from arthritis. These lever knobs are easily available at any furniture store and costs around $20.
2. Install Grabbing Bars/Rods In Bathrooms
Bathrooms are usually wet and this affects the ability to balance. For old-aged people, the biggest threat is slipping and falling, because their bones are weak and they cannot withstand a fall. To counter this issue, you can put heavy bars and rods on the walls of bathrooms and near any slippery floor so that seniors can stay safe. These bars are available at home improvement markets for $15-$30 depending on the quality.
3. Install A Slip Resistant Floor
Having marble tiles and shining floors may look nice, but it is extremely dangerous for senior citizens. When looking for flooring that can provide better traction, vinyl and linoleum are good options. Also, find soft material for floors so if in case there’s a fall, the damages are minimized. Replacing the whole flooring can be expensive, so if you’re tight on the budget at the moment, at least get the damaged areas repaired. Uneven and broken tiles are more likely to cause problems for seniors.
4. Install Kitchen Countertops At Reasonable Heights
Generally, countertops in American style kitchens are 34 inches above the floor. You can replace or renovate these countertops by bringing them to 30 inches above the floor. This will make the counter more accessible to seniors who cannot stand for longer durations or use wheelchairs.
5. Make Use Of Elevators And Chairlifts
If your home has multiple floors, it’s better to install an elevator or chair lift with the staircase to assist the old-aged move easily between the floors. A chair lifts with motor attached costs around $3500-$4000, whereas an elevator could cost you $20,000, along with installation.
6. Install Electronic Door Chimes
It is very challenging to take care of Alzheimer’s patients if you have any living in your home. Usually, such patients don’t know what they are doing and they keep moving. This poses a threat of them heading out or entering a room where they shouldn’t. Electronic door chimes that come with sounds and alarms all around the home are an effective way to keep yourself notified about the movements of such patients in your home.
7. Put Light Switches Or Motion Lighting
With growing age, eyesight gets weaker and the ability to see properly in the dark is affected. To counter this problem, you can place light switches or light cover plates that are easy to locate for people who are unable to see in the dark. Secondly, motion-activated lights are also another safety feature that can prevent any bad event from happening.
The above-mentioned renovation tips can make life very easy for you or people you know who are aged. However, if living all by yourself is becoming a painful task for you, it’s better to shift into a good nursing place. Nursing homes and other nearby areas provide great support and service for old-aged people. Get in touch with My Nurse-Family to avail of the best offers.
