Aging In Place - Home Attributes
I'm watching my parents attempt to age in place and thinking about my own future.
I'm certainly learning a lot by watching them. For example:
*Don't buy a forever house at the top of a steep hill with lots of stairs
* Make sure there are GOOD, STURDY handrails by every single stair-step, both inside and outside.
What words of wisdom would you offer someone looking for their "I'm going to live here forever" house?
I'm specifically thinking about aspects of home, buying a house, outfitting a house, modifying a house, house location (urban vs. rural), anything that has to do with the physical place where an aging person wants to live.
Thanks, wise community with lots and lots of valuable collective exprience!
@GoingInCircles365. These are some good things to consider.
Another one I heard recently from an occupational therapist who works with elderly people:
Many people apparently regret trying to stay in a split-level house or 2-story house where the master bedroom is upstairs. So, homes with master bedroom suites on the main level are a good thing for aging in place.
Maybe my response will be too much out-of-the-box thinking, but when I read these words the picture that stroke my mind was the nursery home for elderly or disabled people I am visiting sometimes.
People are crowded there, inside two- or three-person rooms, which gives them actually no privacy (at least they have someone breathing with them all the time). The rule is simple: people who use wheelchairs or other walking support, or partially sighted are on the ground floor; the ones who can walk, but may have some memory issues, meaning they shouldn't go outdoors alone, or people who cannot leave their beds at all, are upstairs. Some of them might have different stories, but most of them worked hard their entire lives and had families.
Maybe the answer is we cannot be prepared for everything?
@jacek73
That's exactly the type of image my parents are trying to avoid. They're desperately trying to stay healthy and mobile and independent and avoid needing to move into a place like that. No one wants that, but eventually some of us will need it because we can no longer live independently.
We certainly can't predict the future, but we do have some control over our present lives.
For example, I'm installing a handrail at my mom's house today so she has something to hang onto when walking down the driveway.
Well, I just got another one, from the lady who uses a walker to get around:
Don't buy a house with a gravel driveway.
@GoingInCircles365
One level home with wider doors great for moving or wheelchair or walker when if needed. Easy entry to get into the home. Short driveway and less lawn care needed.
In Canada there are 50 plus homes are built where you can access meals and other services and they are perfect for those that need extra support including lawn care and snow clearing etc
@SunShineAlwaysGrateful
Good points. Stairs seems to be a big one. My parents and their partners are all struggling with stairs right now, and I'm realizing how incredibly rare single-level homes are in my area. How bizarre!
Definitely try to stay away from split level homes and focus on the ranch styles. They're easier on the joints. Also, large yards can be great when you can mow the lawn and rake your own leaves, but as you age, it becomes a nuisance. You can pay to have those things done, but depending on the area, that can be costly.
@HappyHelper242
That's a great point about having a large yard. Thanks!
Don't put in carpets. You might be tempted because you don't want cold feet in the morning in autumn & winter, but there are other solutions for that. Carpets are dirt magnets...they require frequent vacuuming. As time passes & they wear out, they add to general dust buildup & tend to retain dirt, dander, etc. Smooth floors are much easier to keep clean. If you want a softer surface to walk on, wear nice slippers or throw down some washable rugs instead.
@slowdecline48
Good points about carpets.
I'll add that area rugs can be a tripping hazard. Watching someone roll their walker over the area rug and jumbles it all up, then has to come back through and cross the treacherous bunched-up rug. Yikes!
@GoingInCircles365 Good point re rugs...I hadn't thought of that. 🤔 If there are rugs with adhesive or tacky rubberized spots on the corners, they might hold onto the floor better...maybe that would work, or maybe not. I was just shooting from the hip there.
Following.
My mom says,”Live in a supportive community with medical facilities close by.”
@jesusredeemedme2425 Top solution, right there. Unfortunately not all of us will attain it.
She also says to live in a single-level home with no paving stones.
@jesusredeemedme2425
Those are excellent points. I think that if one is able to live in a supportive community, that can make a world of difference in quality of life! My mother in law discovered a group nearby that offers free transportation services to medical appointments so she now always has a safe ride to and from her appointments.
I hadn't thought about paving stones, but that's a good point. No gravel, and no pavers.
