By Anna Hazard
Introduction
As much of the bulk of the kitchen area is taken up by counters, countertops, shelving, and cabinetry, these are very important room features that need to be taken into account when it comes to modifying a home for aging-in-place and accessibility. In addition, these areas are often involved in a high percentage of kitchen accidents, whether it's hand injuries while working at a improperly lit counter, bruises due to running into a prominent countertop or cabinet edge, or by falling or knocking over items while stretching for an out-of-reach shelf or drawer.
While a complete counter or cabinet overhaul can be expensive (to the tune of thousands to tens of thousands of dollars depending upon the exact style & features), there are also many lower cost options that can increase room safety and ease of use while not breaking the bank.
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By Anna Hazard
Introduction
Besides the general layout, HVAC, and electrical systems present within the kitchen, other location wide specifications such as lighting level & placement as well as the area flooring should also be taken into consideration when it comes to aging-in-place and accessibility. This is especially true for the kitchen which has certain issues (such as the performing of more dangerous tasks in the area as well as the greater potential for spills and other messes) in addition to the more general considerations of other household rooms.
In addition, while its potential modification is often overlooked in comparison to other equipment, the kitchen sink, faucet, and basin area can be retrofitted to help prevent any future accessibility or safety issues.
By Anna Hazard
Introduction
The kitchen is one of the more dangerous rooms within the household due to the presence of food borne bacteria, fires due to untended equipment, an increased chance of falling due to the higher likelihood of spills on the floor, as well as a preponderance of scalding, burns, and laceration injuries (with more than 40% of hand injuries in the ER due to kitchen related accidents).
Due to this, options that keep the space more safe and accessible are the main focus when it comes to retrofitting or remodeling a kitchen for aging in place. In addition, this area should be redesigned to prevent as many cases of stooping, bending over, reaching out or over one's head, as well as preventing the possibility of falling as much as possible.
By Anna Hazard
Introduction
When it comes to properly aging in place, in the living room the focus should be on being uncluttered, efficient, and spacious with an easy layout to navigate. The living room arrangement should be tried and set even before health may require it (such as allowing room for navigation with a wheelchair or another mobility aid even when not needed) as it may take experimenting with several different layouts before an optimal one can be found. Besides the space & layout, the exact type of furniture as well as electronics & other gadgets should be taken into consideration when prepping the living room for accessibility & universal design.
By Anna Hazard
Introduction
This entry in our Aging-in-Place by Room series focuses on other household wide systems such as communication, electrical & power grid, as well as a selection of other recommended systems for trash & recycling, cleaning, & medication management that should be overhauled for better accessibility. While the overall power grid to a house may require more time consuming & professional services in order to better prepare a home for future requirements, many other system tweaks will only require a small upfront cost or purchasing of a standalone device in order to implement.
By Anna Hazard
Introduction
Besides flooring, doorways, and other more room specific details, there are a variety of household wide systems that should also be upgraded or otherwise tweaked so that the home is properly prepared for aging-in-place. This would include the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems commonly known as HVAC. In general these are systems that should be modified earlier on before the necessity of oncoming ill-health or fragility forces an emergency retrofitting (or worse yet forces a senior to leave a residence that can no longer adapt to their requirements in a timely enough manner).
While home performance upgrades will require an initial (sometimes hefty) price to install, they will generally offset this with decreased maintenance & utility costs throughout the following years. In addition, there are a variety of incentive programs in many states that offer rebates and subsidies for residential energy efficiency installations & conversions as well as the availability of the federal Rural Repair and Rehabilitation Grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Otherwise, one of the most important points to keep in mind during aging-in-place retrofitting, is that all potential housewide system should be low maintenance with easy to use interfaces. Introduction
This is a continuation of the flooring recommendations discussed in the previous blog article Aging in Place - Part 14 - General Interior Flooring with more of a specific focus on the benefits & drawbacks to the various exact styles of flooring available (ranging from common surfaces such as hardwood and vinyl to more unusual choices such as rubber).
Since hard flooring is generally recommended for optimal accessibility (especially for main interior floor surfaces outside of the bedroom), those varieties will be the main focal point for the brunt of this section.
By Anna Hazard
Introduction
The flooring throughout the main interior portions of the house are an important, if often overlooked, aspect to aging in place. Due to health issues such as vision, vestibular, or other balance problems, falling becomes more likely at the phase of life where it also becomes far more dangerous (with a greater risk of breaking bones or sustaining other major injuries from a simple tripping or falling event). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than a 1/4 of all adults over age 65+ will have a falling event each year with over 20% of these accidents leading to injuries severe enough for hospitalization.
Fall prevention is a major concern for the elderly which is an issue that can be further addressed when modifying a home to properly age-in-place. In particular, when it comes to flooring and accessibility, safety, & universal design, one should keep in mind that...
By Anna Hazard
Introduction - Elevators vs Other Lifts
When it comes to modifying a home to properly age-in-place, residential elevators are the most accessible and easiest lift style to navigate, but come at a premium price in cost and installation time. Unlike with normal and far less expensive chair lifts, bulky mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers can be taken along from level to level when using an elevator which also makes them a good option for those who expect to be moving furniture or simply carrying packages and other items between multiple storys.
In particular, elevators may also be required for use on inclines that exceed 14 feet or otherwise hit the safety threshold for chair lifts. As compared to other accessibility options, residential elevators tend to be the most expensive choice with one-time installation costs that tend to exceed $30,000+ (with the average typically being between $25,000 - $125,000 depending upon the exact style of elevator being installed). However, considering that assisted living can cost between $25,000 - $50,000 a year depending upon location, if the inability to climb stairs with mobility aids is the main sticking point for remaining in one's current house, then installing a residential elevator may prove to be the less costly option that can pay itself off within 1 - 2 years as compared to moving to an assisted living facility. In addition, home elevators add to the value of one's home (especially if they have been built to complement the existing decor & space function) and thus can be considered a future investment. The cost of a residential elevator will depend upon many different factors including the style of elevator being installed (including the drive or engine that is powering it, whether it's cable, chain, or hydraulic operated, if it requires the further installation of a machine room or closet, and any additional extra features such as power doors etc), the size and square footage of the elevator cabin & its weight capacity, the number of floors being serviced by the elevator, as well as the current configuration of the home and if room for a proper elevator shaft is already present within the household. Other drawbacks for installing a residential elevator over a chair lift or vertical platform lift would include an extended installation time (which can take up to several weeks instead of the matter of hours or days for a normal lift) as well as the tighter tolerance & requirement of an elevator being installed by a licensed professional with all the required permits and inspections.
By Anna Hazard
Introduction
Chair lifts (also known as stair lifts or lift chairs) are a popular solution for those seniors who live in multi-level homes whose health or mobility has deteriorated to the point that they can no longer safely maneuver common stairwells. These contraptions glide along rails that have been installed on the stair treads alongside the wall side of a staircase. Since they are not attached to the walls themselves, less remodeling is required with less traces left behind if the installation ever needs to be removed. In general, chair lifts can be set-up within 1 day which is a far quicker installation turnaround time than any type of residential elevator which can often take weeks to complete.
Although they are less accessible than residential elevators, stair lifts are often the most practical choice due to space and budget restrictions. They tend to be less expensive than the cheapest elevator option, particularly if the stairs being navigated are straight up and down (which usually starts at a couple thousand for installation of new unit). Costs go up for more complex layouts such as curving staircases or multiple level stairs with extra landings which can reach $10,000 depending upon the exact design. Stair lifts can also be temporarily rented for a couple hundred per month for those who only need their use for a limited amount of time (such as users recovering from surgery). |
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