As your parents start to age, their needs are going to change, and their homes will need to change with them. You want to make it so that your loved one doesn’t have as much to worry about and so any mobility issue is addressed. The elderly have specific needs and the best solution when you’re looking to remodel is to do your research and make sensible home improvements to improve their quality of life.
Living comfortably in a well-renovated home is often the best option for our senior parents as they grow older. Despite the expense of making home improvements like installing an elevator or grab bars, it’s still far less expensive than the average assisted living facility. There’s a lot to think about when you’re evaluating how to remodel for your parents as they grow old, but there are three that stand out as obvious, common-sense upgrades to make.
Make the bathroom safer with grab bars.
Keeping your balance as a senior can be difficult, especially when you factor in all of the slippery tile floorings in a bathroom. Tubs and showers are also potential hazards. At a home improvement store, a grab bar will typically cost between $20 and $30, but you may want to hire a professional if you’re inexperienced.
Most professionals charge around $100 per bar, materials included, to perform the service for you. Grab bars are not particularly expensive, it just makes sense to include in a home improvement project.
Be proactive about residential pest control.
The last thing your parent needs to deal with as they age is a pest problem. Whether it be ants, wasps, mosquitos, termites, spiders, rodents, or any other common household pest, the last night your parents need is to be surprised by a bug infestation and not know how to handle it on their own.
Having access to experts via a high-quality pest control service is something you can plan for in advance. Make sure you find a company with services that are long-lasting, so you can have peace of mind for a while.
Consider a chair lift or elevator.
Even if your parent doesn’t have a mobility issue now, as they age, they may develop one. Even if your loved one is still ambulatory, that doesn’t mean things like stairs won’t become uncomfortable over time. If your home has two stories, moving between floors may become difficult. Buying a new home isn’t necessary, you can install a chair lift or elevator for a few thousand dollars to make your home accessible despite any type of handicap.
An elevator can be costly, usually, it costs about $3000 to $4000, and sometimes up to $20,000 when you use professional installation. Still, when you consider that an assisted living facility can cost around $43,000 per year, according to Genworth Financial, an elevator is still a more accessible option for the average family.
Once you’ve decided on your renovations, you can find someone to work with. There are places like handicap remodeling contractors NJ and all over the country who can help you with your remodeling. It’s just a reality that seniors have special needs and being able to make the requisite home improvements to allow them to be comfortable in their homes is an essential part of caring for your parents as they age.
Whether it be planning for the future with pest control services or making upgrades like adding an elevator or grab bars, reducing the impact of aging or a mobility issue on quality of life is the best thing you can do to help your parents transition to having a senior-friendly home.
