Aging-in- place tips
• Remove area rugs and scatter rugs or affix them to the floor.
• Add grab bars in bathrooms.
• Widen hallways and doorways for walkers or wheelchairs.
• Remove cabinets underneath bathroom sinks to allow access for a wheelchair or walker.
• Install a bidet. Says Nelesen: “It’s an old European idea, but it does preserve your dignity a bit.”
• Change step-in showers to roll-in showers.
• Choose slip-resistant, flat flooring for easy rolling.
• Use handles rather than knobs for kitchen cabinets and doors, making the grip easier for arthritic hands.
• Assess furniture. For example, recliners make standing and sitting easier, but a swivel feature makes them unstable.
• Look to technology. Automated medication dispensers and in-home sensors are just two ways seniors can take advantage of high-tech health aids
Will these updates add value to your home? Contact the appraisers at www.socappraisals.com for you value questions.
First it was the call from an older widow in Santee. She had nixed moving to an assisted-living facility in favor of adding a second level to her home that would create a spacious environment for her adult granddaughter’s family of four — and live-in caregivers for her. And then even more requests began rolling into Jackson Design and Remodeling from adult children determined to help their aging parents stay in their own homes. Plus middle-agers were asking for ideas on what they should be doing to prepare for future retirement at their residences.
CEO Todd Jackson realized he was witnessing a new way of thinking about his industry.
“We started noticing the trend in about 2006,” he said. “So we started looking at how we’re building projects in a more holistic approach that’s not just about now, but the long-term, too.”
That trend, often referred to as “aging in place,” is rapidly altering not only the remodeling business but architecture and interior design, too. And as the baby boomer generation continues into its retirement years, the desire to adapt existing homes for older adults is only expected to grow.
Read more at: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/may/26/tp-room-to-retire/
Green Real Estate Appraiser 