As a large amount of the country’s population grows older, more and more people are starting to consider aging in place. Growing older used to mean leaving your home for an assisted living facility, nursing home, or special senior housing community. But that doesn’t have to be the case anymore, as more people are choosing to stay comfortable in their homes, with kitchen, bathroom, and other interior remodels designed to assist them in their golden years.
Aging in place is just one part of a broader trend towards helping older generations remain comfortable in their homes. Naturally, this sort of comfortable living demands kitchen remodels, bath renovations, and even the addition of new spaces in order to support aging in place. However, in order to prepare your home for aging in place, it’s important to first understand what that means.
What is Aging in Place?
Put simply, aging in place means staying put in your own home as you grow older rather than pulling up stakes for a retirement facility or similar space. Staying in a familiar and comforting space has significant financial, social, health, and psychological benefits. However, proper planning is absolutely vital. For homeowners approaching retirement age, renovations from a skilled home remodeling contractor can open up the possibility of living out your golden years at home.
Key Considerations for an Aging-in-Place Remodel
Here at Springs Home Improvement, when we’re designing to help an individual or couple age in place, our usual remodeling considerations — your wants and needs, the function, quality, and structural soundness of your space— still apply. However, we also go the extra mile and think about potential health concerns.
As we age, we tend to slow down. People become less mobile, more accident-prone, and may need assistance getting around their homes and performing everyday tasks. Simple actions, like stepping over the edge of your shower or opening the kitchen cabinets, can become difficult and dangerous. Renovating with these concerns in mind ensures that your home remains accessible and comfortable for you through the coming years or even decades.
For a kitchen remodel, this may mean adjusting cabinet height and counter depth for easier access. In the bathroom, it could involve switching a tub with a walk-in shower, and installing grab bars for easier access. Throughout the home, it means limiting trip and fall hazards, and ensuring that you can access everything you need whether you’re on foot, using a walker, or in a wheelchair. Layouts that minimize maintenance are helpful, as are features like ramps that limit your chances of slips and falls.
Your renovation can even include moving a master suite from the upper floor to the ground floor to limit the use of stairs. You may also wish to provide a private space where relatives, live-in health aides, or other caregivers can stay, should you require additional assistance.
Always Keep Budget in Mind
These renovations can be intimidating. Aging in place may feel expensive. However, it’s important to keep in mind how reasonable these upgrades are compared to an assisted living facility. Renovating to age in place is in fact the most budget-conscious decision you could make. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 or more each year. Spending five or ten years in a facility at those prices can completely wipe out your savings. Of course, there’s more than money to think about. Your freedom in a nursing home just isn’t the same as it is in your home.
Unless you plan on building a completely new home, even the most expansive and detailed renovations are inexpensive compared to the cost of an assisted living facility for two years. And, depending on how long you may anticipate being in a care facility, a custom home may still be less expensive. People often assume that Medicare will cover the costs of a care facility, but that is not the case.
For this reason, we recommend aging in place as an option for older individuals who are budget-conscious. If you’re looking to get started on renovating your home to age in place, our team here at Springs Home Improvement can help. Our goal is to keep your project on time and on budget.
Reach out to us today and see what we can do for you. If we’re a good fit for each other, we’ll start with a design and development phase to accurately visualize every aspect of your remodel. We’ll also provide a written fixed bid at the end of this process. Springs Home Improvement has delivered exceptional home remodels for hundreds of your neighbors. Let us help you next.
