Winter months can be particularly harsh for seniors and the disabled, especially for those who live in states where the temperatures drop below freezing. It’s important to prepare your home now before the colder temperatures arrive. A little time spent winterizing your home -- inside and out -- will decrease your risk of falls, lower heating costs … [Read more...]
Age in Place Improvements Have Multi-generational Appeal
Until recently, most new home designs were focused on the needs of a young, growing family. But in the 1980s, the term “universal design” was coined by Ronald L. Mace, a wheelchair-bound architect who defined it as "the design of products and environments to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or … [Read more...]
Beat the Summer Heat With a Sunsetter Awning
Nobody wants to stay cooped up inside during warm, sunny weather. But for many seniors, venturing outside in the summer puts them at risk for heat-related illness and too much sun exposure. Creating a shaded space outside with an outdoor awning can help them enjoy the outdoors with reduced temperatures and less sun exposure. Avoid Extreme Heat As … [Read more...]
Get a Fresh New Deck Without Rebuilding
Your deck was built as an extension of your home -- to enjoy the outdoors, to entertain and to relax. While decks are generally well-built structures that can last for many years, they still need maintenance. Proper maintenance helps you avoid the many safety hazards that aging decks pose, especially if you are over 65. Splintering and cracked … [Read more...]
Installing Handicap Ramps for Your Home: Options and Considerations
If someone in your home is disabled or elderly, you’ve probably considered making it easier for them to get in and out of your house. Whether they use a cane, walker or wheelchair, people with mobility issues find even a few steps to be an immense challenge. As we age and lose natural agility, navigating stairways also becomes a potential hazard … [Read more...]
Replacement Windows Lower Energy Bills
If your house is too cold in the winter and too warm in the summer, replacing your old windows can not only save you money on your energy bills, but it can also make you much more comfortable year-round. For seniors on a fixed income, reducing the expense of heating and cooling your home can make a big difference. And, older people have a harder … [Read more...]
Are Age in Place Improvements a Good Investment?
What forces older Americans from their homes into assisted living or full-time nursing facilities? It’s not necessarily declining health itself but how certain ailments prevent people from living independently. Some researchers now believe that changes in living spaces and daily strategies can keep older people out of nursing facilities for months … [Read more...]
Planning to Age in Place : A Smart Retirement Investment
If you’re planning for a comfortable retirement with a 401K, IRA, and other investments, you may be leaving out a critical area of retirement planning: getting your house ready to age in place. Many people don't realize (and neither do most financial advisors) that it is much cheaper to outfit your home now for your future needs than it will be … [Read more...]
Top 6 Trouble Spots for Seniors Living at Home
According to an AARP survey, 89% of Americans prefer to “age in place”, staying in their own homes for as long as possible. Unfortunately, not many of us live in a home that was actually designed for senior living, and there are common trouble spots in almost every home that jeopardize the safety of people with decreased eyesight, limited mobility … [Read more...]
Making Tubs Safe for Aging in Place
If you’re 60 or older, your bathtub can not only become a hazard to your health, but can also affect your ability to remain in your own home. That’s because getting in and out of a bathtub becomes more dangerous and sometimes impossible for people with limited mobility or disabilities. Wet floors, wet feet, soap, decreased coordination and shaky … [Read more...]
