Age in Place…With Redesign and Remodeling


A recent study released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) showed that homeowners in the 55+ age group account for nearly 38 percent of American households. That number is expected to increase to 45 percent by 2019. The study also found that these homeowners are spread across the country, not concentrated in areas like Florida or Arizona. Ninety-seven percent of U.S. counties report that 30 percent or more of their households are headed by someone 55+.

This population aging presents challenges for homeowners. If we really admit it, most homes today are not aging-friendly. A study by AARP shows that 90 percent of people over age 65 want to stay in their current homes, and 80 percent believe their current residence is where they’ll always live. Aging in Place is becoming the remodeling trend – user-friendly kitchen remodels for easy navigation, bathroom remodels for fall-proofing, master suite remodeling to house the bedroom on the first floor. The possibilities are endless and the resources many. We’ll visit this topic often in the next few months with a series of tips on Aging in Place redesign and remodeling, and we hope you’ll count Thomas Custom Builders among your primary resources.

We recommend starting by determining whether or not your home allows for Aging in Place remodeling. Evaluate your own health and possible future risks – we all want to believe we’ll continue to be healthy and mobile through our golden years, but the fact is, aging itself makes it more difficult to move around. Add any other conditions, and your home becomes an obstacle in itself.

Ask a custom remodeler or certified Age in Place specialist to review your home with you and provide advice. Explore resources that can give you ideas. There are numerous design and remodeling websites that can help you generate ideas and questions to ask your custom remodeler. Here are just a few:

NAHB.org – National Association of Homebuilders and remodelers
AgeInPlace.org – National Age In Place Association – includes home tips, as well as aging lifestyle information and tips
AgeInPlace.com – remodeling and design ideas
AARP.org – AARP site article, “Is Your Home Aging Well?”

Look for our next Age in Place post on kitchen remodeling tips.