Renovation Tips from an Expert
French doors are an excellent choice for seniors as these doors serve more than aesthetic purposes; they are wheelchair accessible and allow more natural light into your home. Plus, they are generally easy to install, all of which makes them great for an aging-in-place home renovation. However, before you embark on this project you’ll want … Read more
Most people associate arthritis with hands, but knees, backs, and legs can all suffer from arthritis, as well. An area of the home that is particularly hard on aching joints is a staircase. Most homes include a set of stairs in one room or another. Most homes are multi-level living, and even ranch homes tend … Read more
Creating a home where your parents can safely age in place is an amazing gift to give them. I promise you that doing the work yourself will result in an incredible feeling of achievement. But, that doesn’t mean you won’t make some mistakes along the way…probably a lot of them. And, that’s okay. That’s why … Read more
As you work your way through each room of your aging-in-place home renovation, you’ll collect vast amounts of knowledge along the way. Every project you do will benefit from the lessons you learn in the previous ones. Home renovation is one big learning experience. Most DIYers forget this, though, and worry too much about making … Read more
The goal of every one of my aging-in-place renovations is to create a home that older adults can live in safely and independently for years to come. Traditionally, aging-in-place design has focused almost exclusively on physical safety. Lately, though, many of my clients have mentioned the improvements some aging-in-place projects have made to their parent’s … Read more
Imagine if your parents’ home had the intelligence to take care of them (almost) as well as you do. For the first time in history, we can control our homes with just the tap of a screen or the sound of our voice. Today, adults with mobility issues can see who’s at the door without … Read more
Recessed lighting is a relatively cost-effective way to add a beautiful finishing touch to any room in the home. And yet this kind of lighting often gets placed in the home improvement box labeled ‘luxury’ and ignored by budget-conscious DIYers. The truth is that recessed lights are as economical and practical as they are stylish, … Read more
One of the most common questions I hear from aging-in-place DIYers is ‘where do I start?’. If you have the luxury of time and can afford to slowly make upgrades to an aging-in-place home, there’s no right or wrong answer. If, however, your parent is already in need of serious safety upgrades, my advice is … Read more
As people begin to age in their homes, there comes a time when either they or their family members start questioning whether staying home is the safest option, and rightfully so. Traditional homes offer many obstacles such as stairs, slippery floors, high cabinets, less-than-ideal lighting for aging eyes, and numerous other challenges for older adults. … Read more
Removing the need to bend down low or reach up high is one of the pillars of smart aging-in-place design. Take a look around your home right now. Count the number of electrical outlets along the floor that you need to bend down to reach. Now, count the number of outlets at waist level. As … Read more
Our eyes go through a lot of changes as we age. Yes, older adults are known for turning the font size on their phones way up and holding books at arm’s length. The real challenges that aged eyes face, though, is in seeing small details, color contrast and the distinction between light and dark. Our … Read more
Today’s paint trends have most of us painting white walls in white kitchens with pops of grays and blues spread throughout the rest of the house. If you’re planning to paint an aging-in-place home, however, steer clear of soft colors that blend from one room to another. Instead, look for a mix of high-contrast paint … Read more
Unlike most home renovation projects, an aging-in-place project aims to make a home more safe and age-friendly. That may mean maintaining the look, feel, and style of the home even though substantial changes are made to the property. For condominiums, this can be particularly challenging due to two main factors: the rules and regulations of … Read more