Aging is something we all have to deal with—financially, spiritually, and physically. That last part means taking stock of your living situation. While many people plan to move to a different home, relocate to a senior community, or bunk down with family, some would rather stay in their current house after retirement—a choice known as “aging in place.”
There are a lot of benefits to aging in place. For one thing, you get to keep your connection to a community where you’ve put down roots, maintaining friendships and activities that have been meaningful to you. You can foster a sense of independence while saving money, as assisted care or senior living facilities aren’t cheap—costs vary dramatically depending on where you live, but they can be as high as $8,000 a month (or more). Staying in a house you’ve paid for might make the most financial sense.
But if you’re planning to age in place, you should star planning some changes to your house now. No matter how healthy you are today, old age brings ever-increasing odds that you’ll be challenged by everyday activities, and the time to renovate your age-in-place home in order to mitigate those challenges is before you face them. The good news? Not all of the changes you should consider are expensive or difficult. Here are some you should consider.
Adjust doors
If you’re nearing retirement age and you’ve taken reasonably good care of yourself, you might not be worried about getting around the house you’ve lived in for years. But mobility issues are one of the most common problems for folks over the age of 65, and if you plan to age in place you should take these steps to ensure you can do so comfortably:
Eliminate knobs. If your house has doorknobs you need to twist, change them to handles that use an up-and-down motion. Twisting a knob can become difficult if you develop arthritis or other disabilities as you age.
Widen doors. There’s a chance you will wind up needing a wheelchair for mobility at some point in your retirement, so plan ahead: The doors in your house should be a minimum of 32 inches wide (36 would be better), and offer appropriate “maneuvering space” depending on whether they swing out or in.
Remove exterior thresholds. If you need to enter your house in a wheelchair, even a short threshold can be a real problem. Removing it so you have easy access is your best bet.
Ensure you can live on one level
If the house you plan to stay in has multiple levels, you should consider a potential future when stairs might be a concern. You could install an elevator (average cost: $30,000) if you have the space, but a less dramatic option is making sure you can live exclusively on the main level of the house if you need to. This involves creating a master suite with an attached bathroom, as well as setting up laundry facilities on the same level.
Prepare your bathrooms
Bathrooms can pose significant challenges for older folks—they’re slippery traps filled with hard surfaces and pointy edges. Combine that with diminishing mobility and you have a recipe for disaster. If you’re going to grow old in your house, consider the following changes to your bathrooms:
Walk-in shower. A curbless shower with a wide entrance is ideal. This reduces the chances of a fall while trying to climb into a tub or get over a threshold, and allows access even if you need a walker or wheelchair.
Handheld showerhead. A detachable and height-adjustable showerhead will make it easier to shower even if you’re seated or have range-of-motion limitations.
Comfort-height toilet. These taller toilets can be easier to use and more comfortable for folks with joint problems or mobility issues.
Lever or touchless faucets. Like doorknobs, the twisting motion many standard faucets require can be difficult for older people dealing with arthritis. Changing these to a lever-style faucet or a touchless faucet that requires only a gesture to operate is a good idea.
Rethink your kitchen
Aging in place is often about independence, which means you’re going to want to cook for yourself. That means making a few changes to your kitchen to ensure you can do so comfortably. You don’t need to tear out your existing kitchen entirely—but there are a few changes you should consider:
Open plan. If you have an island in the middle of your kitchen, it might be a good idea to ditch it. If you ever have mobility issues and need to use a wheelchair or walker to get around, you’ll need the space. If you must keep an island in there, try to make sure you have at least 36 inches between the edge of your counters and the island.
Lever or touchless faucets. As with your bathroom, consider getting rid of any “twist” faucets to make them easier to use.
Other adjustments. If you do experience mobility issues that make a wheelchair necessary, lower counters and other adjustments following Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines can make independent living easier. These are pretty major renovations, however, and can make the kitchen harder to use if you’re not currently experiencing mobility issues—so they’re best left to the future. However, it’s something to consider if you have reason to suspect you will need a wheelchair in the near future (due to a progressive condition, for example).