As people get older, they often start to struggle with their vision, mobility, and overall ability to navigate their homes on their own.
One in four senior Americans experience dangerous falls every year, and this is a result of both poor mobility and an inconvenient or unsafe home environment.
Many people choose to move into assisted living or retirement communities when they no longer feel comfortable navigating their homes, but this isn’t the right choice for everyone.
Seniors who want to maintain their independence often want to age in place.
That’s where home renovations for an elderly parent come into play.
Whether your loved one is moving in with you or staying in their own personal homes, you can make their environment safer with luxury home remodeling and additions.
Read on to learn about your options.
Consider a Guest Home for Your Property
If your parents aren’t ready to move into an assisted living community, but they also aren’t interested in staying in their current home, consider adding an extra house to your property.
Most of the time, this is referred to as a guest house.
For this specific situation, however, it’s an in-law suite (or in-law apartment).
It’s a separate space where your aging parents can have privacy while they’re still close to you.
When you add a guest home, you can start from scratch to create the perfect living space without having to make significant changes to your pre-existing home.
You get a blank slate and your elderly parents can ask for whatever home renovations and features that they’d like.
You can also add an in-law suite as an extra extension onto your own home.
Think of it as adding a studio apartment.
Not only does this give your loved ones a place to live, but it also drastically enhances the value of your home.
Widen Hallways
Whether you’re creating an entirely new space or adding to your current home, see if you’re able to make your hallways more accessible.
Wider hallways leave more room for mobility devices like wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers.
They also leave ample room to add railings for elderly people who are still mobile but also want the security of a handrail just in case.
Creating a Stair-Free Space
Stairs present a challenge for elderly people.
They enhance the risk of falls, they’re hard to navigate at night, and they’re impossible for people who need mobility aids.
If you don’t want a stair-free space, you could add a chair lift.
This isn’t the best option when it comes to increasing the value of your home and it can still be dangerous.
If you’re adding a guest home, make it stair-free.
A simple single-level apartment or bungalow is more than enough for your elderly parents to live in comfort.
If you’re adding to your current home, this is the perfect opportunity to make sure that all of the home’s necessities are available on the ground floor.
In many homes, only one bathroom has a tub or shower.
This bathroom may be on the second floor of your home, making it less accessible to your elderly parents.
This is a great reason to add a full restroom to your pre-existing home.
This way, your parents don’t have to go up or down the stairs to access everything that they need.
Add (and Modify) a Large Restroom
On the topic of adding a restroom, this is a large project that requires significant consideration.
Make sure that you take your parents’ needs into account when you’re designing the restroom for accessibility.
You want the bathroom to be large enough that it’s easy to navigate for people regardless of their mobility.
If your parents use mobility aids, measure the space to ensure that there’s more than enough room for them to get around.
Here are a few extra things that you should consider when you’re renovating or adding a bathroom for elderly parents.
Bath and Shower Considerations
Whether you’re starting from scratch or improving a current bathroom, the bath and shower are the first things that you have to consider when it comes to keeping your elderly parents safe.
Bathtubs and showers get slippery, making them risky for people who struggle with mobility.
When you renovate your space, consider choosing a walk-in shower instead of a shower with a tub.
This makes it easy for your elderly parents to step in and out without having to step over anything.
Install handrails in the shower.
If you’re keeping a standard tub as well, put handrails at several heights so your loved one is able to pull themself up if necessary.
The Toilet
Make sure that there’s more than enough room around the toilet for your loved one to get to it if they use a mobility aid.
Install handrails here as well so they can sit down and get up with ease.
These handrails will also be helpful if your elderly parents need help using the restroom in the future.
Consider raising the toilet to make it easier for your loved one to use it.
Enhancing the Kitchen
You want to make sure that the kitchen is an accessible environment for your elderly parents if they’re cooking for themselves.
Install cabinets that are low enough for your parents to access them (but not so low that they’d have to bend over).
You want to reduce the need for any type of stepladder or stool.
Make sure that the countertops and sink are also low enough for your elderly parents to be comfortable.
Try These Home Renovations for an Elderly Parent
Your parents can age in place and in comfort with these home additions and renovations.
Whether you’re enhancing your home with these home renovations for elderly parents or you’re building them an entirely new space, keeping these tips in mind will help you create an accessible and comfortable space.
Are you ready to start planning home additions for an elderly parent in the greater Phoenix area? At Mariano & Co, we want to bring your vision to life.
Contact us to request a free estimate today.
Are you planning a home remodeling project in Mesa AZ? Whether it’s a renovation to help an elderly parent age in place or you’d like to update your home, the team at Mariano & Co. is committed to providing each client with a 5-Star experience. Call (480) 287-4096 or request an estimate online today!
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