Remodeling

Can You Make Do with What You Have?

“Suburban single family housing is "Peter Pan" housing, designed for people who will never grow old. To be able to age in place in comfort in an older single family home, a person typically has to be able to go up and down stairs, do simple home maintenance, contract for major home maintenance, and drive a car. - Patrick H. Hare

There are three types of homes that face us when we decide on renovating to stay:

a) The Suitable Home

i) Meets your present physical requirements

ii) Meets all other social and economic requirements

b) The Possible Home

i) Meets your social and economic requirements

ii) Is economically adaptable to your physical needs

c) The Impossible Home

i) May meet your social and economic needs but….

ii) Cannot be modified economically to meet your physical needs

Physical space that allows for your abilities is important to your overall well being. The following are ideas that may help you live longer in your present home. It may be very helpful to call in professional help to evaluate you physical needs and see what can be done to your home.

Remember that drastic changes to your home may make it difficult to sell at a later time. However, if changes can be made that can be usable to new owners, you will enhance the value.

General

Adapt lower floor of home for possible one level living - this may mean converting a dining room to a bedroom or converting a closet to a main floor laundry room.
Increased incandescent general and specific task lighting - good lighting is crucial to feeling comfortable with your surroundings. It will also prevent falls due to problems with depth perception.
Easy garage or parking access - the less you have to carry from and to the car the better.
Doorways 36" wide with off-set hinges on doors - it may be that you will eventually need a wheel chair or a walker.
Levered door handles instead of knobs - hand strength diminishes with age and levers are so much easier to use.
Electrical outlets at 18 inches instead of 12 - not a practical renovation project, but if you can do it you will not have to bend over as far
Easy to open or lock patio doors and screens - if you add new windows shop around for the easy clean variety.
Lower window sills especially for windows on the street - if you have to use the window as an emergency exit.
Light switches at 42 inches instead of 48 - aging brings shrinking, lower switches mean less strain
Luminous switches in bedrooms, baths and hallways - again, this is a safety feature to help to get light in the middle of the night.
Strobe light or vibrator-assisted smoke and burglar alarms - this depends on how hard of hearing one becomes.
Programmable thermostats for heating and cooling - do this anyway as you will save money and it also is one less thing to remember at night.
Contrast
Colour
Non skid flooring - and non-skid rugs
Matte finish paint, flooring and countertops - avoid patterned flooring which may induce vertigo.
Peep hole at a low height - again because of diminished height.

Bathroom

Lever faucets and faucet mixers with anti-scald valves - this is especially important for those with minimal hand strength or who are in wheel chairs.
Temperature controlled shower and tub fixtures - some may become confused with controls.
Stall shower with a low threshold and shower seat - showers are by far safer than tubs and the seat helps with disorientation caused by the spray.
Grab bars at back and sides of shower, tub and toilet or wall reinforcement for later installation - ensure these are professionally installed because if it were to give way the fall would be severe.
Bathrooms with turn around space for walker or wheelchair - this is an unlikely renovation but do so if you have the opportunity.
Higher bathroom counters - bending over makes it difficult to keep balance and is harder on the back.
Telephone jack - no more running to the kitchen!

Kitchen

Kitchen cabinets with pullout shelves and lazy susans - it should be a law that lower cabinets have large drawers instead of fixed shelving.
Easy to grasp cabinet hardware - C pulls instead of knobs are preferable.
Task lighting under counters - better lighting means fewer kitchen accidents.
Cooktop with front controls - this will help prevent clothing catching on fire.
Side by side refrigerator - much better than the having to bend over for the vegetable drawer or consider a freezer on the bottom.
Adjustable upper shelves and pull out lower shelves - fixed shelving cannot adapt to your changing needs.
Lower kitchen counters - only if there is a problem with your height.
Gas sensor by gas cooking, water heater and gas furnace - loss of smell can be a problem with aging and you may miss a real danger.
Colour

Living Room

Seating at least 18 inches off the floor - getting may be a problem.
Chairs with sturdy arms - the arms give leverage for getting up.

Laundry

Construct a laundry facility on the main floor by converting an unused closet or bedroom - the stairs are your enemy.

Outside

Create raised gardens - this allows you to garden without bending over.
Create level walking paths - rocks, uneven bricks, inconsistently placed steps are a hazard for falling.
Ensure paths are well lit - this includes the front walk as well as other walkways.