Shopping For The Home You Want To Grow Old In: Senior-Friendly Elements To Look For

Health & Medical Blog

When you are looking to the future, you want to be sure that, if you make any major investments, they will last for a long time and they will work for you going into your senior years as you age and inch toward retirement. As such, if you are looking to purchase a new house, you may be looking for the home that you plan to grow old in. The problem is that you may not know what elements in your future home you need to look for that will make your home senior-friendly. Get to know some of these senior-friendly elements so that you can be sure to find a home that has all of the things you will need to keep you safe, healthy, and secure in your home as you age.

Walk-in Tubs and Showers

Aging is a process that can make navigating a standard bathtub or bathtub shower combination difficult. Stepping in and out of a shower or bathtub can be difficult even if you are in good control of your balance and limbs, especially when surfaces are wet. However, as a person ages, their balance, fine motor control, and the like become more limited.

This reduced control, balance, and overall mobility make the bathtub and bathtub shower combination a major trip and fall hazard. Look for homes that have walk-in tubs or showers (or both) to help you prevent these issues in your later years. These tubs and showers are designed so that you do not have to step up and over anything to get into the shower. Most are also made with floor surfaces that are textured to allow you better traction.

No Stairs Or Wide Stairs

Stairs are another hazard as you age as a fall can cause serious damage to an elderly person's health and well-being. And, of course, the aforementioned mobility issues make falls and accidents on stairs more likely.

Ideally, you will want to get yourself a home with as few stairs as possible, such as a ranch-style house. However, this is not always feasible or may not be the aesthetic you prefer. If you do choose a home with stairs, make sure that you avoid homes with narrow staircases. Wider staircases will afford you more options as you get older. You will be able to install chair lifts that can get you up and down the stairs on a motorized seat and for shorter staircases, wheelchair and walker-friendly ramps may also be possibilities.

Now that you know a few of the elements to look for in a senior-friendly home, you can be sure that you find the right new home for you and your needs. Visit websites like http://www.twincitystairlifts.com for more info.

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7 October 2016

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