More and more older Americans are rejecting the idea of retiring to Florida or downsizing to an apartment in favor of remaining in their homes. Known as “aging in place,” the concept has gained favor among homeowners who don’t want to have to give up their Pittsburgh homes just because they’ve gotten a little older.
How You Can Benefit from Aging in Place
Getting older may require a few changes to your life and your home, but new challenges don’t have to force you to leave your home. Aging in place means that you won’t have to worry about:
- Navigating a New City or Neighborhood: Unless you move down the street, you’ll probably need to familiarize yourself with a new area, which can take a little time and involve a lot of wrong turns. That’s not a concern when you remain in your current home.
- Finding a New Doctor: Locating new doctors and dentists can be a time-consuming and frustrating process when you move to a new area, particularly if you plan to use Medicare. Aging in place allows you to keep your current healthcare providers.
- Searching for a New Favorite Grocery Store or Coffee Shop: Moving requires you to completely upend your life. You’ll not only need to find a new grocery store, but a new hairstylist, pharmacy, dry cleaner, mall, library and gas station. When you stay in your home, you can continue to patronize businesses you know and like.
- Missing Your Friends and Family: Palm trees and warm weather are hard to resist, but will the move be worth it if you don’t get to see your grandchildren grow up or only communicate with friends via social media or occasional phone calls? When you age in place, you won’t miss any milestone and can continue you to interact with your circle of friends.
Renovating Your Home Can Make Aging in Place a Possibility
No matter how well you take care of yourself, physical changes are an inevitable aspect of aging. If you develop arthritis, lose your central vision due to age-related macular degeneration or find walking or managing stairs difficult, it will be difficult to remain in your home.
Fortunately, you can prepare for these potential changes by remodeling your home before you plan to retire. Your Pittsburgh renovation contractor may offer a few suggestions that will make your home safer and more accessible, such as:
- Removing stairs in entry ways
- Widening doorways and hallways
- Improving lighting
- Installing slip-proof flooring
- Making your bathroom safer with curbless showers, grab bars and motion-activated lights
- Eliminating upper kitchen cabinets and installing sinks and appliances that are handicap accessible in your Shadyside, PA, kitchen
- Replacing light switches and doorknobs with models that don’t require manual dexterity to operate
- Creating a master bedroom suite on your first floor
Now is the perfect time to renovate your home if you plan to age in place. The design/build team at Master Remodelers can help you create an accessible space that’s as attractive as it is functional. Contact us to discuss your ideas.
Sources:
National Institute on Aging: Aging in Place
Forbes: Secrets to Successfully Aging in Place
