Do you have a friend or relative who seems to be ageing quickly and you need to start considering moving them into a smaller, more senior-friendly residence, but it’s not really what you – or they – want for their golden years? Why not consider doing some minor upgrades to their existing house to help them maximise their years in their home without having to give it up to go live somewhere more age appropriate. Some upgrades can be done on a do-it-yourself basis, while others may need to employ someone from an agency or company of some kind to properly fit appliances. Read ahead for some easy upgrades to your home to help make it senior-friendly.
Stair Lifts
Stair lifts are one of the best ways to allow an ageing friend or relative the comfort and stability of remaining in their own home for longer. As we age, our knees and hips cannot manoeuvre as they once did and it’s then that we started thinking about installing of a stairlift. Stairlifts help those with reduced mobility have the same access they used to have to parts of their home that they may no longer be able to access without assistance, such as the upper floor to get to their own bedroom. Add to this the fact that a stair lift will help them retain a level of independence and it’s clear why stair lifts continue to be one of the best options for those looking to upgrade a home to make it senior friendly instead of moving the relative or friend into elderly living residences.
Bathroom Supports
These types of supports are easily installed on a do-it-yourself basis for most makes and brands and is an easy and inexpensive way to help create a more suitable, stable and accessible bathroom for your elderly friend or relative. They can be added to toilets to make them higher with handles, or to bath tubs and showers to provide more stability and security. Some types may require installation by certified professionals, but on the whole several of these types of supports can be installed without tools and in a few spare minutes.
Ramps
Ramps are a great way to create a more accessible home for your elderly friend or relative. By replacing steps with a ramp on the outside of their home, you will be providing them easier access to the home they love dearly. A ramp will enable them to walk up to the door unassisted, and provide them with a comfortable and pain free option instead of having to tackle stairs and steps every time they need to enter their own home. Ramps can sometimes be installed and built by the same types of companies who build decks, as well as through ageing societies who may be able to provide names and numbers of reputable ramp builders.
So there you have three easy upgrades you can make to any home to help create the ideal atmosphere for ageing relatives and friends to be comfortable in for longer. The key goal is to help our ageing community be comfortable going into old age and one of the most ideal ways to achieve this is to help them stay in their homes for as long as possible.