Top Tips to Adapt Your Home as You Age

The typical bathroom offers a less-than-optimal design for almost everyone. Vanities may be too low or too high, tubs and showers may be difficult to enter and exit, and doors and dual-handle faucets require two hands to adjust. We'll show you a few ways that you can adapt the bathroom to make it safer and easier to use.

Pick the Perfect Toilet
While standard toilets are 14 inches from the floor, some manufacturers make "comfort height" or "chair height" models that are 17 to 19 inches tall. These toilets make it easier on aging knees, while allowing you to sit down and rise up unassisted from the toilet.

Shower Safety
A walk-in shower is not only easier to get in and out of, but it's a stylish solution for your bathroom. Make sure the shower door is at least 32-inches wide. Keep the shower and bathroom floor heights on the same level. A zero-clearance glass door, which will extend fully to the floor without a threshold to step over, will prevent a slip-and-fall hazard and help keep water inside the shower. A built-in bench gives you a place to sit and also can double as storage for your toiletries.

Grab Bars Can Be Glamorous
Modern manufacturers offer elegant alternatives to the institutional look of old-school grab bars. These accessories add functionality to your home, decreasing slip-and-fall risks for young and old alike.

To ensure that you can enjoy your kitchen for many years to come, make sure you include a design with plenty of lighting and easy-to-reach controls. Incorporate features like: touchless faucets with anti-scald technology, slip-resistant flooring, low or no thresholds on doorways and easily cleanable countertop surfaces such as granite, solid-surfacing or laminate. Other tips for enhancing your kitchen with universal design principles include:

Choose Slide-Out Storage
Reduce the need for bending and reaching with slide-out storage. Easily organize your appliances, pots and pans, and more with convenient, clever accessories for your cabinets.

Clear the Clutter
A clean, uncluttered floor plan will allow a person using a wheelchair the necessary clearance to maneuver in your kitchen. Instead of a fixed island, add a freestanding island that can be removed down the line to accommodate your changing needs.

Vary Counter Heights
One of the easiest ways to keep your kitchen functional for everyone in your family for years to come is to create workstations at several different heights. Creating counter spaces at standard height (36 inches), bar height (42 inches) and table height (30 inches) will allow you to sit or stand comfortably.

Include a Desk in Your Design
If you have the space in your kitchen, build in a desk using cabinet and counter material that will match the rest of your design. Use it as a place to pay bills, sort meal or even sit comfortably while preparing a meal.

Incorporate Modular Elements for Easy Modifications
Even if you have decided to include custom cabinets in your kitchen, make sure you use standard sizes so that it will be easy and affordable to modify your kitchen cabinetry as your family's needs change. You'll be able to upgrade to accessible appliances (such as drawer-style microwaves) will not require you to tear out all your cabinetry.

There's much more to creating a home that welcomes all visitors than simply adding ramped access. Other entry measures, such as nonslip flooring, an easy-to-reach doorbell and a motion-sensor lamp that switches on and off automatically will enhance your home for the long haul. Also consider the suggestions below: 

Low-Maintenance Exteriors for Long-Lasting Enjoyment
For the home's exterior, choose low-maintenance materials for siding, decking, landscaping and even gutters. Long-lasting, prefinished siding means less cumbersome repainting. Composite decking means never refinishing again. Installing gutter guards can eliminate an often-dangerous cleaning chore. Planting the right shrubs can mean less trimming and watering.

Prepare the Path 
Create a smooth walkway to the front door that anyone can take, regardless of their overall mobility. Ensure there is a way to enter without using stairs by incorporating ramps or other means to create a barrier-free pathway. Ramps can be integrated seamlessly into the overall exterior in a manner that is both practical and unobtrusive.

Ease the Entry
At the entry, consider the size necessary to accommodate a wheelchair or walker. The front door should be at least 35 inches wide. Look for door handles that are easily manipulated by hands of all ages, such as levers. The change in level from the exterior entry floor to the interior floor should be no more than a half inch. The entry door should be protected against rain and weather by an overhead covering such as a roof extension, a broad overhang or an awning.

Slip-Proof Your Place 
Make all the surfaces near your home as safe as possible with anti-slip tape. This highly durable tape provides traction and eliminates the likelihood of trips and falls. It’s ideal for a variety of surfaces including wood, tile and marble and can be used indoors or outdoors. Place anti-slip tape on stairways, ramps, walkways, step stools, decks, and other surfaces that may be a slip hazard. Anti-slip tape is available in a variety of widths and can be purchased by the roll or in pre-cut tread strips, which is ideal for stairs.

Laundry rooms are areas that are frequently forgotten, but a few design considerations can open up your laundry room for a lifetime of easy use. Make sure that the space is large enough to avoid trip hazards and to accommodate a wheelchair. Consider a front-load washer to make it easier for the mobility impaired to be able to access it from a seated position.

Move to the Master
Consider combining the laundry room with a master closet. Use this area for washing, drying, ironing and storing clothing. This tip will save you floor space in your home and make a much more efficient laundry day.