Home Modifications for the Aging Population
Easy Ways to Make The Home More Comfortable for Elderly People
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Aging is a natural part of life, but it can make the people who are going through it feel isolated from friends, family members, and society. That’s especially true when older individuals feel that residences aren’t made with them in mind. Keep reading to learn several simple ways you can tailor your home so it’s more welcoming to mature adults.
Consider Installing Safety Modifications
If there is an elderly person staying in your home permanently or for long periods of time, think seriously about remodeling your home so it’s safer for seniors. For example, you might put in brighter, motion-activated lights that make it easier to see the environment, or add grab bars to the bathroom so older people can get in and out of the shower and bathtub while enjoying more stability, and not feel unsteady as they use the toilet.
Remove or Minimize Possible Tripping Hazards
As they get older, people often find they can’t keep their balance as well as they once did. With that in mind, carefully evaluate your house to spot anything that could make an older person possibly trip and fall. You can even work your way through a checklist that assesses the riskiness of each room in your home. Hazards may include area rugs that frequently slide around, and thresholds that are significantly higher or differently textured than the floors around them.
Depending on the fall-risk factors you identify, there will be particular approaches to handling them. For example, in the case of a slippery rug, you can apply tacky backing that grips the floor and helps the accessory stay in place. If that’s not feasible, remove the rug from your home while seniors are visiting. Thresholds can be made more visible through reflective tape that alerts people be extra careful.
Limit the Ways Seasonal Temperatures Affect Your Home
Some senior citizens are especially sensitive to severe temperatures, and may have extreme difficulty coping with the characteristically more drastic climates of summer and winter. Keep your home warm for them by regularly getting your furnace tuned up, and promptly hiring a technician to repair it if needed. Conversely, during the summer, portable fans can help make up the deficit if your air conditioner can’t cool down your abode as much as a senior prefers.
Besides using your home’s climate control system to keep temperatures inside consistent regardless of what the weather’s like outside, stay attentive to seniors’ needs and do what you can to help them stay comfortable. Cold and hot beverages can also have positive effects depending on the weather, plus they promote hydration.
Keep Essentials Within Easy Reach
If older people have to reach up high or squat to retrieve items, they may be prone to losing their balance. Thoughtfully keep the things they might need to access at chest height or lower, so they don’t have to strain to access them.
These tips should prove whether you’re having an elderly person over for dinner or bringing them into your home for an extended stay, it’s not hard to make your space more accommodating. After putting these pointers into practice, you may find they make life easier for you, too.
