Making Your Home a Senior Friendly Environment
As the baby boomer population begins to age, many families are deciding to invite their older relatives into their homes instead of sending them off to a retirement home. Baby boomers are caring for their elderly parents, and baby boomer’s children are planning for the future with their families. While this is a great solution for many families, it requires some home improvements. Senior parents will offer household support, they can provide care for grandchildren, and a three generation home can be very rewarding. However, as people age, they may need to make changes to their homes to make them a safe environment for their golden aged relatives.. Much like a family would child proof their home, they may need to install safety features to protect their elderly relatives. If new people are moving into your home, consider updating with a few of the following including walk in tubs. A walk in tub makes showering and bathing safer. Instead of climbing over the bathtub wall, or standing during the duration of a shower, this feature will allow your loved ones to bathe comfortably.
In addition to bathroom upgrades, the staircases in your home may be a problem. As people get older, moving up and down the stairs is painful for joints and bones. While stairs are great exercise for younger generations, they can be dangerous when you age. If your house has stairs, you can make arrangements for them to be safe. First, be sure the handrails are adequately sized.
Next, make sure the rails are sturdy. Lean your weight on the rail and make sure it is supportive. If you have a relatives who is wheelchair bound, you may need to add a special chairlift. This can be expensive, but it can mean the difference between a happy, comfortable housemate and a relative who is stuck on one floor. Hopefully, changes can be made gradually and begin with a railing and the chairlift can come years later.
Next, consider your loved one’s mental health. If a parent or grandparent needs mnor assistance, you will need only small adjustments. However, if your relative moving in suffers from dementia, it can be a more serious commitment. People with dementia may need constant supervision and you will need to create a safe home for them.
Think of how you would update your home to keep a small child safe. Many things will be what are needed for a senior relative with dementia. Remember, an older loved one living with you is a great experience, even if it takes some time to prepare your home and make sure they will be safe.
Connor R. Sullivan searched the internet for a walk in tub in order to purchase a safe tub for his aging parents. He installed two walk in tubs at his mother’s house.
