Home Improvements Help Seniors Live Independently

Inexpensive home improvements and adaptations can enhance seniors’ independent living. Changing faucet handles and doorknobs and adding bathroom grab bars and stair railings are some of the least-expensive improvements that pay off in enhanced convenience, confidence and/or safety.

More extensive renovations, like widening doorways, adding exterior ramps, and adapting kitchens for wheelchair use, while not inexpensive, can make a huge difference in a senior’s ability to live happily and independently. We might term them senior-friendly remodeling or retrofitting.

According to an AARP survey, the following are the most popular home improvements made to homes of seniors, nearly all of which can be done by a handyman:

1. Levered doorknobs.
2. Grab bars in bathrooms.
3. Levered faucets in kitchen sinks.
4. Handrails on both sides of stairwells and on front and rear steps.
5. Grab bars in showers; removal of any door threshold.
6. Movable shower heads for those who must sit.
7. Portable shower seats.
8. A bathroom with a bath/shower as well as a bedroom on the first floor.
9. Widened doors to accommodate wheelchairs.
10. Ramps for those using walkers and wheelchairs.

Be safe at home

Let’s look at home improvements room by room. We will explore the many alterations that can make home living productive and safer for seniors, extend their ability to live alone, or make caregiving less of a strain. Safety is the primary concern. Two-thirds of the falls suffered by seniors happen at home. The goal of many home improvements is to reduce falling and tripping hazards. Also, be sure to see our companion article for assistive technology solutions to safety and health concerns.

Not all the home improvements listed here require a carpenter or handyman. And some are issues that may not have been a problem when the home resident was more agile or had better eyesight.

In the kitchen

• Make sure everything in the kitchen is within easy reach without using a step stool or a ladder.
• Consider installing an induction cooktop. Its cool cooking surface is safer than any other type of cooktop.
• Raise the front of the refrigerator 1/4 inch so the door will close by itself.
• For wheelchair convenience, lower counters to table height.

In the bathroom

The bathroom presents the most challenging issues for independent living. Nevertheless, here are solutions that work for many seniors:

• Install grab bars by the tub, shower and toilet.
• Elevate toilet seats.
• Consider a walk-in shower or a walk-in bathtub with a door and built-in seating.
• Put non-skid strips in the tub or on the shower floor
• Use non-skid mats in front of the sink and toilet and outside the tub.
• Cover the bottom of the tub with a permanent rough coating.
• Replace faucet knobs with lever handles.
• Have outlets installed at an easily accessible level.

In the bedroom

• Install bed rails.
• Keep a flashlight by the bed.

In the living room and hallways

• Put a non-slip pad under throw rugs or remove them.  Tack down carpeting.
• Ceramic and vinyl tile floors can be slippery. Consider putting down carpeting.
• Remove decorative items from floors — like baskets, plants or footstools.
• Replace chairs that have wheels on the bottom.
• Place sturdy risers underneath the legs of furniture to raise them.

Suggestions for other areas

• Replace front doorknob and interior doorknobs with lever handles.
• Keep flashlights throughout the house.
• Program your phones so that emergency numbers require 1-button dialing.
• Set your water heater thermostat at 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalding.
• Install track lighting with halogen lamps and dimmer switches in all rooms.
• Use a walker or cane if it assists your mobility.
• Widen doorways and remove threshholds for wheelchair access.

Solutions for interior and exterior stairs

Stairways are often the place of dangerous falls as knees give out or an older person trips. Install handrails on both sides of the stairway and be sure that the stairway is well lit.

Climbing interior stairs presents a major problem for the mobility-impaired. An elevator or a stair chair lift may be a practical solution. While elevator installation is expensive, installation of a chair lift on a track may be within your budget. Battery operation is a safer alternative to relying on house current, but the battery must be checked regularly and replaced in 12 to 24 months.

Climbing exterior steps can be made easier by adding handrails on both sides, and access by a wheelchair can be accomplished by installing a ramp. Be sure to check local and state code requirements for ramp width and slope. Under the Uniform Building Code a wheelchair ramp must have a minimum length of 8 feet for a rise of 12 inches (1:8), though a length of 12 feet per 12-inch rise is recommended for safety (1:12).  So, for example, if your front steps rise 16 inches, your ramp would have to be at least 10.7 feet long to comply with the Code, with a length of 16 feet recommended. Minimum width is 3 feet, and a 34-38-inch high railing is required unless the slope is less steep than 1:15.

Home improvements can help enhance seniors’ independent living. Some of the least expensive improvements pay off in enhanced convenience, confidence and/or safety, while more involved renovation can make the difference between staying happily in your home and moving to an institution. Concern for your safety should ultimately determine your course of action. Seek the advice of a geriatric counsellor for help with your decision.