Independence and Mobility: 5 Must-Have Home Modifications for the Elderly

People are living longer lives than ever before, and that is great news, in general. Living to an advanced age, though, often means being forced to confront and overcome challenges that do not present themselves to younger people.

When living at home becomes too challenging or unsafe, communities like The Atrium at Faxon Woods can provide the perfect balance of independence and support.

However, many issues can be addressed by making appropriate arrangements at home. Five straightforward, affordable home modifications regularly prove most helpful for elderly people.

Ageing is a natural process that includes some essentially unavoidable downsides. People who reach 70, 80 or even 90 years of age will inevitably experience certain kinds of physical and mental deterioration.

That will leave even a healthy elderly person looking for ways to get better mobility and otherwise enjoy life more completely. With the average lifespan worldwide rising rapidly, these five home modifications will be of particular interest to many:

• Access ramps. Some older people find themselves confined to wheelchairs because of ageing-related conditions or the simple atrophying of muscles. Many more end up becoming dependent on canes or other types of mobility aids. In just about any such case, the judicious addition of ramps to home will make it more accessible. Advocates for the disabled and elderly have been working tirelessly for decades to add more ramps to public spaces, and for good reasons. Even a single new ramp can open up options that would not have existed before. The same can be said of many homes, but simply making access easier and less strenuous can prove every bit as welcome.
• Grab bars. Even older people who stretch and work out regularly typically find their bodies stiffening over time. That can make something as simple as using the bathroom a lot more difficult than in the past. Grab bars that allow the arms to help out can fill in the gaps created by ageing legs. Particularly insofar as they tend to be inexpensive to install, the increased safety afforded by grab bars will always be worth considering, as well.
• Upgraded faucets. Elderly people who suffer from conditions like rheumatoid arthritis can find it difficult to grip and manipulate objects like faucet knobs. Large faucet controls that are designed to be easy to operate can make life at home a lot more pleasant. Some faucet systems designed for the elderly can even be turned on and off without the rotating motions that so often challenge older hands and arms.
• Heat lamps. As a person ages, the metabolism slows down, and that leaves the body more vulnerable to cold. Where getting out of the shower might have once felt only a bit bracing, an older person can experience severe, disconcerting chills. Inexpensive heat lamps installed in one or more bathrooms will make such problems a thing of the past.
• Non-slip flooring. When an older person slips and falls, bones weakened by aging can break quite easily. Installing slip-resistant flooring where it makes sense will make such common and dangerous sorts of accidents less likely. A modest investment of this kind can easily spare an elderly person from broken bones and a long, difficult recovery process.

These five affordable home modifications can produce returns on investment that older people will always appreciate. While certain downsides of ageing can be more or less unavoidable, there are effective, accessible ways of minimising their impact.