Top Aging In Place Design Changes
Renovations are changing home designs for people who plan to age in place. As more people enter the decades that will require decisions on living arrangements and household adjustments, builders are learning that a reconfiguration of a home’s layout might be the best choice for the aging. According to a Houzz study, over half of people 60 or older plan to stay in their homes indefinitely. They see the need to remodel their living spaces to accommodate aging and the potential movement difficulties that could arise.
Of these people who are staying in place, the Houzz study found that one in five people remodeled their kitchens in 2014. Of those who remodeled, 28 percent reconfigured their home’s layout to make it easier for them to get around. This included widening hallways and doorways and changing the location of the kitchen completely so that it is easier to access.
One in four people in this group of staying-in-place homeowners remodeled a bathroom, with 69 percent making changes aimed at aging. Structural changes like reconfigured layouts led the tasks, followed by widening hallways and doorways. The bathroom fixtures were high on the list, with raised toilets being installed by 38 percent of the people. Adjustments to showers to make them safer was next in the top remodeling concepts – from grab bars and seating in the shower to non-slip flooring. Changing the layout from its previous configuration was done quite often. It’s more cost-effective than moving to a new location, and it provides more peace of mind for the homeowners, as they plan to stay in neighborhoods and homes that are familiar and rich with memories.
