Aging in place: 5 things to consider.

When we are young and healthy we tend to forget about the fact that eventually we won’t be anymore so and some of the choices we can make right now will eventually not work for us anymore. Depending how old and how healthy you are you may want to consider a few things when choosing and furnishing a home.

If you already have a home and want to make simple yet effective modifications:

· Install grab bars in your shower around your bathtub, and above your toilet. If you don’t need them quite yet but you think they can be helpful, you can use them as towel holders in the meantime and know that they are there for when you need them.

· Make sure illumination is evenly distributed for navigation in hallways. Also make sure your light fixtures are nice and bright (picking a higher lumen LED light bulb) so it is easier to see and read.

· Move furniture from in front of windows if possible. Operating them from further away can prove difficult at times.

· Install a water filtration system in your home, or even just for the kitchen faucet (like an reverse osmosis filtration system for example).

· Keep all your fire and carbon monoxide detectors in good working conditions. Install an additional fire and carbon monoxide alarm in the kitchen if you don’t have one already especially if you have a gas stove.

If you are about to buy a new home you may want to consider the following:

· Look for a home with the least amount of stairs possible and the ones that are there will not need to be used often such as one-story floor plan like a ranch house. In the long run, less stairs will make it easier and faster for you to navigate your home without unnecessary barriers.

· Look for a home with a bath close to the master bedroom. Even better if the bath is accessed directly from the master bedroom.

· Look for a home with a kitchen with a U or G shaped layout, or a gully kitchen. Those are the easiest and fastest to navigate.

· Look for a home with windows that slide horizontally or with a crank-out (this one preferably new and working without too much effort). Especially above the kitchen sink, pushing up a window can get really muscle intensive.

· Look for a home where the kitchen has mostly either drawers or pull outs for the bottom cabinets, especially for blind corners. Your back will thank you later.

Aging is something that happens to all of us and we all eventually will need some help in our home. If you can take care of a few adjustments while you don’t necessarily need them, your transitions will be smoother and easier and I am sure your future you will thank you.