December 14, 2017 Glen Miller Home Doctor 0

The benefits of age in place remodeling are insurmountable.  There are countless remodeling solutions that enable those who want to retire and live in their own homes with freedom, dignity, and pride. Age in place remodeling solutions are designed using handicap construction techniques in mind.  This helps to remove unnecessary hazardous clutter and to allow easy mobility especially when a wheelchair or walker accessibility is required.

Bathroom and Kitchen Accessibility

The most important rooms for any age in place remodeling and handicap construction are the bathroom and the kitchen. The idea is to use principles of universal design.  This is essentially all about making a space useful to people with diverse abilities with appropriate size and space provided for approach, adequate reach and use regardless of individual body size, posture, or mobility.

For example, an outdoor ramp, often referred to as a handicap ramp, with a comfortable incline integrated into the exterior of a home is one essential age in place remodeling solution that will allow easy and safe accessibility for a person in a wheelchair, a cane or a walker. One full bathroom, kitchen, and common room areas should be located on the main level of the home. Planning ahead to accommodate assistive devices is a good idea in order to make it easy for someone in a wheelchair to make their way around the toilet, bathtub, or shower, as well as easy-to-reach cabinets and drawers.

Options For Age In Place Remodels

Two of the most common options for achieving the comfort and safety of an age in place commode is to install a seat extender or replace the old toilet with one that is the proper and recommended height. The toilet paper holder should also be designed for one-handed changing and must be in a position where it is not only easy to reach from a sitting position but is also sturdy enough to hold an individual’s weight.

Textured grab bars along the bathroom, around tubs, hallways, bedroom, and in areas where assisted seating and standing are required can make all the difference they also must be strong enough to support about 300 plus pounds.

When it comes to the age in place kitchen solutions, having the height of the dishwasher raised can reduce the strain of loading and unloading. Motorized, adjustable height counters, pullout or pull-down cabinets, roller sinks makes the whole kitchen more accessible by someone who is wheelchair bound or handicap. Bookcases on hallways, wiring on the floor, floor rugs are examples of things that pose various trip hazards and must be removed in both a handicap and aged in place remodeling solutions.

Here are additional age in place remodeling solutions:

  • Widen doorway and halls to a width of between twenty five and twenty seven inches wide to accommodate various assistive devices.
  • Install consistent lighting that is easy to locate. Use shades to prevent unnecessary glare.
  • Eliminate transitions between flooring materials of various heights. Remove scatter rugs from all locations within the home.

 

Learn more about licensed and insured general contractor Glen Miller the Home Doctor and the variety of home improvement services he offers clients including: home maintenance plans, handyman services, kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, handicap ramp installations, age in place modifications, basements transformations, and hardwood flooring installation and refinishing at www.glenmillerthehomedoctor.com.  To contact Glen Miller the Home Doctor call 734.255.9793 for a free estimate.