Home modifications for elderly/seniors and people with disabilities is first of all our specialty but more importantly, it’s about your safety, dignity, and independence. It is officially dubbed “aging in place remodeling” but you may or may not be familiar with that term depending on the stage you are at in your quest to have the needed modifications made to your home.
The first item listed above stating it’s about your safety is the most important not only because your relatives may be worried about you, there are hardcore statistical reasons for you to be concerned about that. Addressing fall risks in your home is the highest priority.
- One in every four adults age 65 and older falls
- Falls are the leading cause of accidental death among senior adults
- An older adult dies from a fall every 20 minutes in the US
- Falls are more common among men than among women
- More than half of fatal falls occur in the home
In actuality, aging in place remodeling should probably be renamed home safety remodeling because that would be more accurate and it covers younger people with disabilities that need the service as well. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development compiled a list of the most common home modifications for aging in place remodeling and 80% of these deal with safety.
That list includes:
- Levered doorknobs
- Levered faucets
- Grab bars in bathrooms and showers
- Multiple and movable shower heads
- Portable shower seats
- Bathroom with bath/shower plus bedroom on first floor
- Hand rails on both sides of all stairways and steps
- Removal of door threshold
- Widening of doors and hallways for walkers or wheelchairs
- Ramps for walkers or wheelchairs
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site has extensive resources on older adult falls and safety. These are great resources for awareness and fall prevention, and we are available to help you create you own safe and enjoyable home environment to keep living independently at home.
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