Advice On Accessible Housing For Seniors

by JeanS

posted on 10/07/2009

There may come a time in your life when you will need to have mom or dad live with you. In many cases, that will not present a problem, since your parent or parents may be mobile and healthy enough to navigate stairs and narrow hallways. However, sometimes bringing a parent to live with you necessitates a lifestyle change, which may include modifying your existing home or buying a new one with handicapped accessible features.

Sometimes, modifying an older house may be far more expensive than buying a newer home that has been built for what is called "aging in place." This means the home was designed and constructed to include features that make it easier for senior citizens to live. Even if you don't have aging parents, you will eventually reach a time in your life where these features will be important to you, especially if you plan to live in the house for the rest of your life. So in order to buy a house that can literally be perfect from "cradle to grave," here are some things to look for:

Wide halls and doorways.
You may not think much about the width of hallways and doors, but if you're confined to a wheelchair or need to use an assistive walker, you will be surprised how much they matter. Hallways need to be at least 36" according to the Americans with Disabilities Act and doorways need to be at least 32". However, those are minimum standards and wider widths are always preferred, especially if there are sharp turns to get into any of the rooms. Come prepared with a tape measure when looking at homes.

Counters.
If you are building a home from scratch, then you will have the ability to design your counters to be lower than a standard counter in order to accommodate a person in a wheelchair. Also, make sure that you can remove the doors from any cabinets under the sink areas, so wheelchairs can get access to the water.

Stairs.
Although it is always best to look for a home that is all on one level, it is still possible to have a second story on a home, as long as you can install a stair lift for access to the second floor. Although many companies can design systems that work on complex staircases, the best stairs for these devices are usually those that are straight and uncomplicated.

Ramps.
Ramps are always a necessity for getting in and out of the house, even if there are just a couple of stairs. Ramps have to be built within special guidelines determined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, so be sure to determine there is enough space for a ramp if you buy a home with the intention of modifying it later.

Elevated toilets.
Although it is easy enough to install a new toilet at a later date, if you have the option of ordering a new toilet, order one whose seat is higher off the ground. It is much easier to get up when the seat is higher.

These are just a few of the major components to think about when buying a house with the intention of having it be someone's home for the rest of their life.

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