Aging In Place: Creating Your Plan to Stay in Your Own Home Long Term
Contributed by Elaine Martin
Getting older presents us with challenges. While we can’t turn back the hands of time, we can take the reins and get a strategy for making our golden years more enjoyable. One of the services we provide to our clients here at Far North Craftsmanship are “Aging in Place” home modifications.
What is aging in place? It is a comprehensive plan to modify your home so you can live independently in comfort for the long term. As we get older, many of us are starting to worry about how we will be able to negotiate stairs, cook, clean and perform our bathroom routines when mobility becomes an issue. Most of us would prefer not to have to move into an assisted living center simply because we can’t live safely in our own homes anymore. Not to mention that the exorbitant cost of such facilities, often with long waiting lists are a major hurdle for most people.
Getting a plan for Aging in Place involves improving the functionality of all the areas of your home to accommodate your changing needs. So, what kind of changes help you stay in your own home long term?
Widening doorways to allow wheelchair access to rooms (36 inch doorways are necessary for wheelchair access and most homes do not have doors this wide.)
Removing the standard tub and shower and instead creating a curb-less shower for wheelchair access in addition to fold down bench, grab rails and handheld shower wand for independent bathing
Updating the bathroom with grab rails by the commode for easy transfers and enhanced balance
Installing a vanity that accommodates wheelchairs for easier morning grooming routines.
Lowering kitchen countertops for meal preparation from a seated position.
Installing chair lifts for safe negotiation of stairs
Building ramps for wheelchair access to home
Re-purposing rooms on the main level to create ground floor master bedroom
Removing walls to create open floor plan for better flow using a wheelchair
The list continues as you think about where the trouble areas will be as you go about your day. Of course, these types of modifications are also needed in any type of mobility issues for those of us dealing with injuries, illness, vertigo and more.
With rising interest rates people who planned to sell their multilevel homes and purchase a ranch style home for better mobility may be questioning if that’s the right move. In addition, the inventory for these highly desirable ranch homes is low right now in Alaska. When comparing the price of modifying your existing home for ADA improvements it often proves much more cost effective than selling. When comparing the price of moving into an Assisted Living facility, the improvements to your home are far lower than the ongoing cost of facility living. Not to mention, most of us prefer our independent living, privacy, adequate space for our possessions, yards, neighborhoods, and the simple comfort of home.
While in the past ADA (Americans with Disabilities) modifications often looked clunky and hospital-like, leaving you feeling like a patient instead of a homeowner, we create attractive spaces that also work for your practical needs. The above photo is an example of an ADA shower that we created for our clients that has all elements of Aging in Place without advertising that it is anything but a beautiful custom bathroom.
Whether you have been thinking about this for yourself or have older parents that might need this type of update in the future, it is an important topic that is facing many Americans right now.
If you would like more information, give us a call, Far North Craftsmanship 907-373-2400, farnorthcraftsmanship.com and we would be happy to help you get a plan or refer you to other trusted partners in the community to meet your needs. A few strategic changes of your home can make all the difference for your or your loved one’s long-term quality of life and independent living.