The house you live in when you’re age 45 won’t be the same when you’re 75. It’s not that the house changes so much, but that you do.
Yet no one I know with a young family even considers what it would be like to live in their house when they are old and a little less able. I’m a prime example.
In my house, the three staircases are OK for now because they separate the bedrooms from the noisy living areas. The kids can be corralled on one level. But later, who knows? All those stairs could be a real chore for sore knees.
At my friend’s house, her most cherished possession is a claw-foot antique bathtub; a porcelain retreat perfect for a relaxing soak that could become a dangerous way for an older person to stay clean.
According to a recent survey from the American Association of Retired Persons, 85 percent of older people want to remain in their current homes for the rest of their lives. Fine. We all get attached to our homes and the memories. That’s why there’s so much talk about keeping seniors at home and letting them “age in place,” as the experts say.
But as we age, modifications may have to be made to our homes. Hallways, with a lot of work, can be widened to accommodate a wheel chair. A bathroom can be remodeled to make it more accessible.
Minor changes, such as tacking down carpet, can prevent tripping. High wattage light bulbs can improve vision.
Young people may not think about these things, but gerontologist and interior designer Rosemary Bakker does. She has a consulting firm in New York City called ElderDesign and she helps people retrofit their homes for what she calls “graceful aging.”
“We have to think about safety and how to reduce injuries while at the same time increasing a person’s enjoyment in life by raising a person’s activity level,” Bakker says.
Bakker has a whole list of things that can be done to the inside of a house to make it more senior-friendly. She first suggests that modifications be made before they’re really needed. She admits it’s difficult advice to swallow.
“There is a lot of denial about aging,” she says. “I tell people who are renovating to think about making changes that will allow them to stay in their homes as they get older.”
If you’re contemplating a kitchen remodel, Bakker recommends installing kitchen cabinets at a lower height, 30 inches instead of the standard 36 inches. because you may want to sit while cooking. Upper cabinets should be placed about 12 to 15 inches from countertops. Standard heights of 18 inches may be too difficult to reach.
Put lazy susans in base cabinets to make it easy to retrieve items. Also consider a double door refrigerator so there’s less reaching and bending.
As we age, we need more light to see the same way we did when we were younger.
Bakker could write a book on lighting. She suggests under-cabinet lights in the kitchen so there is enough illumination on the task at hand.
In living areas, high wattage bulbs make sense. But Bakker recommends using fluorescent bulbs that not only save on energy costs but also produce little heat, making them less of a safety hazard. Handrails should be put on both sides of outside stairs.
Interior stairs should have handrails on both sides, too. In the midst of a fall, two rails can help prevent serious injury.
Remove door sills. Bakker says when her mother was recovering from hip surgery, crossing the door sills was like climbing Mt. Everest. Floors can be easily patched.
In the bathroom, try to plan some kind of walk-in shower. If you don’t have room and you’re stuck with a bathtub, modify it with a seat lift, generally available at most hospital or home supply stores.
Next comes the sensitive subject of grab bars. No one likes them and no one wants to talk about them.
I recently remodeled a downstairs bathroom and the dull gray grab bar used by a previous owner was the first thing to go. Grab bars remind us we’re just an arm’s length from a nursing home. And they’re ugly to boot.
The good news is that grab bars are better looking now, according to Bakker. They come in designer colors because manufacturers are trying to make their products, originally designed for institutions like hospitals, more appealing to the home market.
Resources
The AARP has some materials on home improvement ideas for seniors. Call the AARP at 1-202-434-2277.
If you already know how you want to modify your home, the local hardware store or home improvement center can usually help you figure out how to get the job done. And if knowledgeable, they should know which manufacturers are making senior-friendly home items.
Developments
In other news, Hartsfield Village, a new continuing-care retirement community, is under construction in the northwest Indiana town of Munster.
The community has apartment homes, an assisted-living facility and a nursing home. The community should be ready for occupancy this fall. An entrance fee is required for the independent-living apartment homes. Most of the deposit is refundable. Monthly service fees are added.
There is no entrance fee for those entering the assisted-living facility without previously occupying an independent-living apartment. For more information call 219-836-1150.
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Jane Adler is a Chicago-area freelance writer. If you have questions or information to share regarding housing for senior citizens, write to Senior Housing c/o Chicago Tribune Real Estate Section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 60611.
