CREATING A SENIOR-FRIENDLY HOME
Entry: Create a barrier-free entryway. Walkway to front entrance should have no steps and minimal slope. Consider installing a ramp if conditions require. Eliminate any thresholds leading into the home and into other rooms because these can be a tripping hazard.
Bathrooms: Install roll-in shower with multiple shower heads that are height adjustable and handheld. Install elevated toilet and grab bars. Consider lowering the bathroom sink for wheelchair accessibility.
Bedroom: Walk-in closets should have storage at differing heights. Install rocker light switches because they are easier to turn on and off. Make sure there's ample space to maneuver with a wheelchair or walker.
Kitchen: Ensure there's adequate storage space within reach. Install raised dishwasher. Mount a wall oven or microwave at reachable heights. Vary the height of counter tops. Install a sink with knee clearance for wheelchairs.
Lighting: Proper lighting can reduce accidents in the home. Make sure it is available in outdoor areas, stairways, kitchen area, living room and other places. Use rocker light switches, which can be turned off and on with an elbow if hands are full. Skylights and ceiling lights should also be considered.
Yard: For those who enjoy keeping a flower or vegetable garden, consider raising the beds to reduce fatigue and back stress.
Source: National Aging in Place Council
The Greater Atlanta Chapter of the National Aging in Place Council conducts free seminars in the 12-county metro area on issues related to seniors. To schedule a session or find one near you contact Dara McMillian at 404-623-8000.
An older home with occupants who are getting up in years can be a disaster waiting to happen. But it doesn’t have to be.
If the goal is to remain in the house for a lifetime, home accessibility consultants or certified aging-in-place specialists can come in and check the environment for mobility obstacles as well as common trip hazards.
They’ll look at the physical location of the structure and the overall layout of the home. Is it on a hill? Is the master bedroom on the main level or upstairs? What if something happened and you could no longer maneuver the steps?
“The biggest thing I tell people is to plan for aging. Don’t be an ostrich,” said Dara McMillian, a founding member of the Greater Atlanta chapter of the National Aging in Place Council. The nonprofit group is an information resource and advocate for the elderly.
McMillian said one of the greatest misconceptions people have is thinking they have to move out of their own home as they age.
Home is where people are most comfortable, and 89 percent of seniors ages 65 and up want to remain there as they grow older, according to the council.
Ensuring the home remains comfortable and safe takes awareness, planning and maybe a few alterations. However, it doesn’t have to involve a major remodeling project, and can be accomplished within a budget, McMillian said.
McMillian, a social worker, is director of client relations with Prosper Home Care, but previously she spent seven years as a “fall prevention” expert in the metro area. It was her job to go into an elderly client’s home and look for potential dangers.
Here are some areas to look at in your own home:
Make sure thresholds and entryways are accessible. Even a couple of steps going into a house can feel like Mount Everest to a person with limited mobility, McMillian said. She’s had clients who said they crawled down steps backwards for fear of falling.
Wooden or aluminum ramps with handrails can assist in getting in and out of the house safely. Aluminum ramps can even be rented.
Stairs inside the house also can be a hazard. The installation of stair lifts and residential elevators is a growing business, and reputable companies should provide free cost estimates.
Watch out for small rugs in foyers, entryways, hallways and especially in bathrooms. They are trip hazards. Get rid of them, or at least adhere them securely with double-sided tape.
Excessive clutter is also a danger. Throw away stacks of magazines and papers, and move out unnecessary furniture that could cause a fall. Make sure pathways are wide for easy mobility.
Take special care to put safeguards in bathrooms. McMillian says this is the “most treacherous room in the house,” and where 80 percent of home falls happen. Space is smaller and surfaces are hard and slippery.
Grab bars should be installed to help get in and out of the shower. The ones with suction cups are not recommended because they are not stable, McMillian said. When having bars installed, McMillian recommends using a contractor who follows Americans With Disabilities Act guidelines.
A shower chair with a hand-held shower head can help conserve energy and prevent falls. Use a nonskid mat in the shower or on the tub floor. Specialty bath mats can be purchased that do not have to be pulled off and cleaned.
Trade out the standard size toilet for a raised one. Walk-in showers are preferable over a tub shower, and, for wheelchair use, a roll-in or barrier-free shower can be installed.
For seniors who don’t want to totally get rid of their bathtub, a tub cut is another option. A section of the tub wall is cut out so the threshold for getting in and out is lowered.
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