How to Update Your Home so You Can Successfully Age in Place

Growing older doesn’t have to mean an end to independent living. With some careful planning and by using innovative adaptive accessories, you can maintain your independence and age successfully in your own home. Consider these often dangerous areas of the house that can be easily updated.

The Bathroom

There are plenty of places in a bathroom that you could get hurt. And, because there are hard, smooth surfaces and running water, that injury could prove serious. You obviously can’t live independently if you aren’t able to use your bathroom alone, so take the time and make a plan for this frequently-used part of the house. 

If you have a walk-in shower invest in a shower chair to sit on and a non-slip surface for the bottom of the stall and you should be good to go. Tubs are another matter altogether. Even if you can climb over the side now with no trouble, you want to prepare for the day when you can’t. A bath lift is a great option to deal with this and the Bellavita is the lightest bath lift on the market. 

Grab bars placed around the toilet can make sitting down and getting back up easier. They should be installed into wall studs whenever possible to keep them secure.

The Kitchen

Between the hot surfaces, sharp objects, tall cabinets, and glasses, there are plenty of dangers lurking. Luckily, there are some things you can do to make life easier and safer as you grow older. Empty the tallest cabinets and move things to where you can easily reach them. Get yourself a grabber tool to reach small items that are overhead if you can’t accommodate them on lower shelves. 

Stairs and Hallways

Hallways are often home to one of the most formidable tripping hazards: carpet runners. These seemingly harmless pieces of carpet are a huge fall hazard, especially if you use a cane or walker or if your gait leans toward shuffling. 

Make sure that all railings along stairs are sturdy and secure. If you aren’t comfortable using the steps when home alone, then don’t. There is nothing on the other floor important enough that you should put your safety in danger. If your master bedroom is upstairs, try to find a way to move it to the main level of your home. 

There is often no reason to leave the home you love as you get older. With the right tools, you can perform many of the same tasks you always have, maybe just in new and different ways. Take the time to plan ahead so you aren’t caught off guard.