AS people age, the home that has been second nature to navigate can become an obstacle course. But there are ways to prepare a house for the needs of tomorrow without making it look like a geriatric ward today.
“Nobody really wants to think that they’re going to get old,” said Elinor Ginzler, director for livable communities at AARP in Washington. “But there are things you can do now to keep your home safe and comfortable as you age.”
For example, Ms. Ginzler said, round doorknobs can be changed to lever-type handles. “This is good for people of any age,” she said. “It helps if you have arthritis, and it helps if you still have kids at home and have a pile of laundry in your hands, because you can open the door with your elbow.”
If drawers and cabinets have small round knobs, they can be replaced with D-shaped handles that are easier to grasp.
Another simple change that will make life easier, both now and later, is adding a bench by the front door. “If you’re older, you may need it for resting,” Ms. Ginzler said, ”and you can use it now if you have to set down a bunch of packages or a child before opening the door.”
Ms. Ginzler said that it also helps to have handrails installed on each side of a staircase and lights at both the bottom and the top of the stairs. It is also wise to install night lights in all rooms; lights in closets (along with adjustable rods and shelves); and large rocker-type light switches, preferably illuminated.
Richard Duncan, the director of universal design training at the College of Design at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, said homeowners should plan for the future whenever they build or renovate. “The advice I give people is to consider including user-friendly features whenever they make a major change in a home,” he said. “If you wait until someone has a problem, there’s going to be a huge sticker shock.”
Marcel DeWinter, a Manhattan architect, said that when renovating a bathroom, for example, it makes sense to install a shower stall that does not have a high step. And if a new bathtub is being installed, getting a model with a built-in seat is a good idea. If work is being done on the bathroom walls, he said, it pays to reinforce them so that grab bars can be installed later if they become necessary.
Such reinforcements should be added between the studs around the shower or tub and around the toilet.
When needed, one grab bar should be placed at a height so that it can be used when getting in and out of the tub, and another should be placed lower, so that it can be used while in the tub itself.
It may also make sense to install reversible hinges on the bathroom door. In most cases, Mr. DeWinter said, bathroom doors swing in. But for someone in a wheelchair, this could be a problem. A reversible hinge allows the door to be mounted so that it swings out instead.
If renovations are being made to a kitchen, Mr. DeWinter said, it makes sense to install telescoping drains and flexible supply lines for the sink so that the counter can be lowered to accommodate a wheelchair if that becomes necessary.
Another thing to consider when making renovations is that all doorways should be wide enough for a wheelchair when the door is open. “If you have 32 inches of clearance when the door is open, you’ll be fine.” Mr. DeWinter said.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/realestate/09Home.html
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