IS YOUR HOME RIGHT FOR AGING IN PLACE

 

Aging in Place and to a lesser degree Universal Design are buzzwords that we've been hearing a lot lately. The intent is that you remain in your home as long as possible after retiring in order to continue enjoying your independence and contact with your friends and community. Isolation is a leading cause of depression in those 60 and above so being near friends and your church is important. However, that doesn't mean that the home you're currently in is the right home for you to remain in. Here are some features that your current home must have to make it suitable for many of the eventual outcomes of aging:

• AT LEAST ONE ENTRANCE MUST BE STEP FREE OR BARRIER FREE
  
  I know what you're thinking every business in America seems to have ramps to an entrance and that makes it accessible and we've all seen ramps constructed to provide entrance to homes. But the truth is a well constructed, properly graded ramp that allows a person in a wheel chair to negotiate the ramp on their own is expensive and difficult to build and maintain. Look for a home that has step free access, one good solution is an attached over sized garage, as long as it's on the same level.
  
  
• A BEDROOM AND FULL BATHROOM ON THE ENTRY LEVEL OF THE HOME
  
  At some point in all of our lives we've looked up at the stairs and said "I don't want to climb those stairs again today." and at some point in our lives it will become too painful or too dangerous to do so. To remain comfortably in your home you will need to be able to live on one level. Don't get me wrong, I think two story homes can be a great solution for aging in place, it provides some privacy for caretakers or house guests as well as the homeowner, but you don't want to "have" to go upstairs.
• ALL HALLWAYS AND DOORWAYS AT LEAST 36"
  
  This is probably the biggest deal breaker, halls are wasted space so they are usually narrow. And while most doorways into the home and into main rooms are 36" the doors to bathrooms and closets are usually not. Needless to say making modifications to doors is an expensive and messy proposition if it is even possible, take may master bathroom for example, the door is 24" and their is only 37" between my vanity and the tub, and less than that between the toilet and the tub. Experts recommend 42" to maneuver a wheel chair so my home is clearly not a good fit for aging in place.

So if your home is not an ideal candidate for aging in place what can you do? First and foremost contact an expert like myself who has experience modifying homes and commercial buildings for accessibility and find out if there are any options that you haven't considered to make your home more accessible. If after walking through the home and determining that your home is not the best fit for aging in place, I can switch gears into my Seniors Real Estate Specialist role and talk to your about options for remaining in your neighborhood, possibly buying or builiding a more suitable home or considering a condominium or apartment that would work better for you.

The secret to having your best life at any age is in planning, and the best time to start planning is now. The sooner you start planning the more options you have. If you live in the Austin, TX area please contact me for a free consultation, if you are outside my work area contact me anyway and I will provide a recommendation for certified builders and realtors in your area.

Thanks for reading.

Tamara Elliott-Deering, Realtor, SRES

Central Metro Realty

512-629-3090, tamara@tamaradeeringrealtor.com

www.betterlifechange.com