Home modifications can be difficult at any age but especially when you’re a senior, due to all of the details you have to pay close attention to. You must consider your quality of life and how changing things around will improve that quality. The following are a few tips for senior citizens on how to tackle home modifications as well as the benefits of aging in place.
Make a list of what needs to get done. Lists can help you manage a large amount of activities so you don’t forget what’s already been done and what is still left to do. Consider making a list of the types of modifications you think your home needs. These modifications can be anything as simple as having buttons installed to open doors or something more complicated, like remodeling your shower tub into a walk-in shower. No matter what you decide to do with your home, make sure you write down all of your ideas so you can keep track of what you should talk about once the work begins.
Find the right contractor for the job. Finding someone you can trust to do the work that needs to get done can be difficult, especially if your home has been in your family for many years. USNews.com has compiled a list of eighteen tips for finding a reliable contractor, including asking friends or relatives for references, interviewing more than one contractor, and checking the contractor’s licenses. US News’s final tip is extremely important: “Don’t make the final payment until the work is 100% complete.” Be sure to also speak to your contractor about price, and make sure you both know what your budget is. If prices are starting to look like too much for you to take on, consider looking into grants for home modification.
The Benefit of Aging in Place
You get to stay at home and stay independent. As you grow older, you get more and more comfortable in your routine. You may be perfectly fine staying in your family home until you pass away, but eventually, as author Jenn Bennett Clarke states in her article on Kiplinger.com, staying in your home turns into “aging in place,” meaning that you’ll need some assistance in order to live comfortably. Many senior citizens find this acceptable, as it would mean not having to leave their homes.
If you decide that you’d like to stay at home as you grow older, there are many ways to make this possible. One good way is home sharing, which involves having someone living with you who helps you with day-to-day tasks. These are not medical professionals or professional caregivers; they are simply “unrelated people who choose to live together to take advantage of the mutual benefits it offers,” according to APlaceforMom.com. This site also has a great list of things to consider when picking a roommate for a home share, including talking about household duties, bringing guests over, and pets.
There's not much that’s easy about growing older, but modifying your home so that you can live there for the rest of your days doesn't have to be a difficult task. If you find the right contractor and know what kinds of things you want to change in your home, then you’re already in the right direction. Follow these tips and don't forgot about the benefits of aging in place, and you’ll have a stress-free home.