For many homeowners, home renovations are fun. They offer the opportunity to make your home fully functional for all members of the family. When designing for the elderly, you always need to consider security and comfort. If you’re stuck for ideas, this article offers five major design considerations, ideal for homes meant for the elderly.
1. Bathroom Safety
One part of your home that needs a detailed design is the bathroom. Even for the young, having a wet bathroom floor can be a major hazard. Therefore, it’s essential to select only the best non-slip tiles or mats for your floors.
In addition to tiles, try to include most, if not all of the features found in standard mobility bathrooms, some of which include a handrail or grab bar. These are highly useful features that help elderly users move easily in and out of the shower. Lastly, choose the best ergonomic toilet seats. The ideal toilet bowl and set must be 17 inches high to make its use less stressful on the knees and back of the elderly.
2. Doorknobs
When installing doorknobs for your home, you need to consider options that are easy on the hands of everyone. Many young or physically able people don’t give much thought to doorknobs or how comfortable they are to turn. However, these aspects are very important.
People with health issues such as arthritis can find turning certain doorknobs to be a chore or a great pain to their body. Therefore, it’s vital to only install knobs that are easy to maneuver. However, if you’re strapped for cash, you don’t have to go out and buy new doorknobs. You can exchange the existing knobs with lever-style hardware, making its use easy for all residents.
3. Traffic Flow
The easiest way to make your home elderly and child-friendly is by minding the traffic flow within a set space. Your living room, for example, can be rearranged in a manner that creates more space for seniors to move around with ease, without bumping into things or knocking items over. Some elements that enhance free flow include an L-shaped sofa, round center tables, and a portable table stand within proximity to the sofa.
4. Kitchen Layout
The kitchen triangle layout is ideal not only for an elderly home but for all homes in general. The kitchen triangle layout perfectly links the fridge, cooker, and sink, offering the same working distance for them. For an elderly home, ensure that the triangle is smaller to reduce walking distance and the probability of getting tired early.
5. Safe Stairs
Stairs pose a threat to older people, so if your home has stairs, you must ensure that handrails are present on both sides of the staircase. Another great element to include is lighting from the top to the bottom of every staircase. Also, to prevent falls, try to clearly define the steps to show where the edge of the tread is.
Whether you’re building a new house or renovating an old one for the elderly, it’s essential to make every space as user friendly as possible. This enhances the living experience by a huge margin.
