Do you live in a Peter Pan house? For the past two centuries, we Americans have been building houses for people who will never grow old. Narrow hallways, narrow doorways, and stairs – lots of stairs!
On the website aginginplace.com, Dr. Laura Carstensen, of the Stanford Center for Longevity lays out fifteen elements of the Peter Pan house. Some of these include:
- Multi-level house
- Washer/dryer in the basement
- Sloping yards
- 24 inch doorways
- Bathroom upstairs
- High outdoor maintenance
She points out that these homes were designed by and for younger families and fail to consider the needs of the aging populations.
https://aginginplace.com/peter-pan-house-15-elements/
This month our partner Susan, who authors these blogs, completed her certification to become a NASMM@Home specialist. This education provided by our national association qualifies her to provide in-home consultations for those who want to stay at home in their senior years.
For the past several years while attending national conference, Susan sought out the courses that addressed issues faced by seniors trying to age in place. So, this year with the extra time provided by the pandemic, she completed the education and is ready to go.
So, what if you do want to grow old in your home? An AARP survey in 2018 found that, “while 76% of Americans age 50 and older say they prefer to remain in their current residence… [only 46%] anticipate they will be able to.” The reasons for this are because of the inherent hazards within their home.
CLICK HERE to read full article
In that article, seniors say they are willing to consider alternatives such as home sharing or building an accessory dwelling unit. You may have seen on social media some of the “granny pods” people have built in their backyards to accommodate an aging parent.
Still, it is clear that the majority of us want to remain in our homes as long as possible. A NASMM@Home specialist can help make that a reality.
It all starts with a free consultation. By using a checklist of some of the obvious hazards, like unanchored throw rugs, the specialist can create a plan that allows the homeowner to choose the most practical and cost effective changes to make.
Some are simple changes, and some go much further into providing healthcare solutions and technology touch points that allow for virtual caregiving.
ROCK Health highlights eight reasons that aging in place technology will flourish in the near future. Not the least of these is “digital adoption accelerating due to COVID-19”. With more tech savvy seniors, the options for including these digital assistants in our homes have greatly expanded.
CLICK HERE to read full article
And, some of the tried and true solutions that have been around for 30+ years as handicapped accommodations are also the easiest to help seniors stay at home. Outside stairs can be avoided by installing a safe ramp. Bedrooms on the second floor can be moved to the main level, or a chair lift installed. Innovations for bathroom walk-in tubs and zero threshold showers can also make the home safer.
proper lighting and placement of everyday items where they are in convenient reach go a long way to make staying at home easier. Beyond that, remodeling to widen doorways and install suitable bathroom fixtures may be a reasonable cost as an option when compared to moving.
To read more about how Golden Bridges can now help you or your loved one age in place, check out the NASMM@Home page HERE:
And when you are ready for that free consultation, call 888-922-6368. It’s your move (or not), Golden Bridges can help!
Susan Scholz, Partner
Golden Bridges