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Simple Tips for Making a Home Senior-Friendly

A few modifications can make life a lot easier for seniors

By Jim Miller

December 29, 2007

• How Old Are You Really? • "Flawed" 401(k) Laws Putting Retirement at Risk • Are Some Seniors Getting Too Much Health Care? • Health Care System Not Ready for Aging Boomers • Simple Tips for Making a Home Senior-Friendly • Boomers' Nightmare is Generation Y's Opportunity • Americans Still Have High Hopes for Retirement • Loneliness Linked to High Blood Pressure in Older Adults • Study Highlights Changes Ahead as Boomers Age • Americans Think They're Healthier Than Their Parents Were • Aging Boomers Face Health Risks --- • News for Seniors • Family Caregiving Guide

Imagine the perfect senior home -- no steps, wide doorways to accommodate wheelchairs, ramps, easy-to-turn door levers, large cabinet knobs, non-slip floors, lowered cabinets, higher wall outlets and grab bars everywhere.

Add in low maintenance inside and out and you’d be all set! Well, that might be a little too much to ask. However, there are some simple modifications that can be done and you don’t have to spend a fortune doing it.

Household Tips

A home that’s perfectly convenient for people in their 50s and 60s can actually become an obstacle in their 70s and 80s.

The first tip in making your home more senior-friendly is to simply eliminate clutter – this is one of the best solutions in preventing accidental falls. Also be sure to move lamp, extension, and telephone cords out of your pathways and remove any throw rugs that slide or tape them down.

Another good tip is to add lighting everywhere. Seniors need twice as much light to see clearly as someone in their 40s. Full-spectrum bulbs are a good option because they can reduce glare.

Also consider replacing round doorknobs with levers, and light switches with rocker switches. They’re easier to use for those with arthritis. And to better accommodate wheelchairs or walkers you can easily widen your doorways (two inches) with inexpensive offset door hinges. It’s also wise to have handrails installed in hallways and wherever steps are present.

Fact: More than one-third of adults age 65 and older, struggle to perform one or more self-care activities.

Bathroom

More home accidents happen in the bathroom than any other room. Some solutions include:

• Bath/shower: Add non-skid mats both inside and outside the bath/shower to reduce chances of slipping and falling. Install grab bars for additional support (they come in all styles and colors). And consider getting a hand-held, flexible shower head and a bath/shower chair for bathing comfort and safety.

• Sink: If you have arthritis or limited hand strength, replacing twist knobs with lever handle faucets can make a big difference.

• Toilet: If you have problems with leg strength or balance, adding a raised toilet seat extender (it adds two to four inches) and grab bars next to the toilet will make getting up and down a lot easier.

• Other tips: Install a water-resistant, wall-mounted phone in or near the bath/shower in case of a fall. To avoid burning yourself, add anti-scald devices or turn down the water heater to "warm" or 120 degrees, and don’t forget a nightlight for those middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom.

Kitchen

This is another room that can cause a lot of physical stresses on the body. Some correctable areas include:

• Lighting: Brighten up your countertops with easy-to-install under-cabinet task lighting.

• Cabinets: Replace cabinet and drawer knobs with D-shaped handles. They’re more comfortable to grasp for those with arthritis. And replace cabinet shelves with sliding, pull-out shelves – this let’s you access items much easier.

• Appliances: If you’re in the market for new appliances, choose a refrigerator-freezer with side-by-side doors, so everything you use regularly can be placed at mid-shelf range. Dishwashers with a drawer design are easier to load and unload and have it installed on a raised platform to eliminate bending over. Stoves that open from the side are easier to get into because you don’t have to lean over a hot door. And a countertop microwave is also easier to reach and safer verses one above the stove.

• Extras: Install a peg board with hooks for pots, pans and utensils that’s easy to get to – as opposed to bending over to retrieve them from lower cabinets. And get a “reacher” (18 to 36 inches) to reach items on high shelves.

Outside

Install motion sensor lights outside the front and back doors and driveway so you’re never in the dark. Put a small table or shelf outside the entrance to hold packages while you unlock the door (remote control door locks are also available at moderate prices). And for walker or wheelchair users, there are easy-to-install add-on ramps for the front steps and mini ramps to go over high entrance thresholds.

For more information on senior home modification tips and universal design – including where to find the modification products and contractors to install them, visit www.homemods.org. Also see www.aarp.org/families and click on “Home Design.”

Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” books.

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