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Top 10 Recommended Senior Home Improvements
By
Michael A. Piekarz
Staff Writer
Most
Americans want to remain living independently in their own homes
for as long as possible. When able to do so, over 80 percent have
made some sort of home modification to improve safety and/or accessibility
to accommodate the aging process.
The problem is that too many homeowners don’t think about how advancing
age can affect their home environment until it becomes a necessity.
“Most who remodel for accessibility only do so after their home becomes
too difficult to navigate,” said Vince Butler, Remodelor’s Council
Chairman of the National Association of Homebuilders.
The problem does not have to become critical before corrections can be made.
According to Butler, “With a little foresight, homeowners can enjoy an
independent lifestyle without undergoing a difficult and unexpected transition.”
Several of the top 10 changes made to homes by seniors occur in the bathroom
area, and they include grab bars, movable shower heads and portable shower seats.
Many times, levered faucets are added to fixtures in both the bathroom and kitchen
sinks.
Other changes in the top 10 are made on a whole-house basis, and they include
widening doorways, adding wheelchair ramps and replacing standard doorknobs with
the levered variety. Some of the more expensive changes include installation
of a full bathroom, complete with shower, and an added bedroom on the first floor
of multi-level homes.
While the primary focus of these changes is to improve safety and accessibility,
aesthetics are an increasingly important consideration. Many of the current products
marketed now are made from a variety of materials with a high-quality appearance
and a price matching form and function.
Designer colors, custom fixtures from top manufacturers and an increased home-modification
industry’s awareness of the requirements of senior homeowners are creating
an environment that makes functional home improvements an exercise in decoration
as well as safety.
While some of these improvements can be costly, they are essential for those
wishing to stay in their own homes well into their golden years.
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Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
