With A Few Simple Home Upgrades, Aging In Place Is Feasible For Seniors With Mobility Issues

If you paid off your home mortgage before retirement, you might think that you are set for life, and you would be partially correct.  From a financial standpoint, staying in your paid off house is the best choice; plus, there is the added bonus that your grandchildren get to celebrate holidays in the same house where your kids celebrated them during their childhood.  You should, however, account for the fact that your needs will change as you age.  For example, you might need to make some changes to your house to make it safer for seniors affected by issues with memory, balance, or mobility.  Aging in place is the logical choice for many seniors, and a Clearwater estate planning lawyer can help you make it happen.

Reducing the Risk of Falls While Aging in Place

Many seniors make the decision to age in place after they visit an assisted living facility and it gives them the creeps.  Who wants to live surrounded by signs warning of fall risks lurking at every turn?  When you age in place, you can avoid the grim atmosphere, but even when you are surrounded by the comforts of home, you still have to protect against falls.  Sharon Brandwein of USA Today recommends the following upgrades that seniors can make to their homes to reduce the risk of falls when aging in place:

• Replace lightweight furniture with sturdier pieces that you can hold onto while walking or use to catch your balance. No matter how light or heavy your furniture is, you should install non-skid pads, which will make any piece of furniture more efficient as an aid to balance.
• Install rug grippers to the corners of area rugs to prevent trip and fall injuries.
• Getting into and out of a bed with a box spring can be a challenge. It is better to replace your bed with a platform bed, which is lower and sturdier.  If the prospect of getting into and out of a platform bed without assistance sounds daunting, you can make it easier by installing an adjustable bed rail.
• You can reduce the risk of falls simply by walking through well lit rooms instead of dark rooms. Toward this goal, you should install motion-activated or sound-activated lighting in your bedroom and elsewhere in your house.
• Voice-activated devices placed at strategic locations in your house can be a lifeline. This way, you can call for help whenever you need it.  Even if you are living alone while aging in place, help is never far away if your device will simply make a phone call when you say “call my daughter” or “call Nancy” from across the room.

Contact an Attorney for Help

Aging in place can do wonders for your peace of mind and for family togetherness.  An estate planning lawyer can help you make your plan for aging in place play out the way you want it to.  Contact William Rambaum for more information today.

Resource:

usatoday.com/story/money/reviewed/2021/09/03/10-bedroom-upgrades-for-people-who-are-aging-in-place/48813455/