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October 13, 2020

Aging in Place: Home Modifications for People Over 60

As you approach your 60s, you will likely start to make changes in your life. Is your retirement coming up? What hobbies of lifestyle changes do you want to embrace during your Golden Years? Throughout this period, you will also need to update your home to prepare for the next chapter. The kids have moved out of the house and the space is yours. Consider these five modifications to make in your home.

 

 

Update your bathroom for safety.

As you get older, you may find that you want to make some changes to your bathroom so it’s safe. Adding rails to the shower or toilet can make it easier to get up or prevent falls. These are minor changes you can make that won’t affect your design aesthetic. If you’re looking for a bigger change, consider turning your bath or shower into a walk-in tub. These can be installed in ground-floor or basement bathrooms for easy access. Visit basementguides.com/safe-step-walk-in-tub/ to learn more.

 

 

Evaluate Your Flooring

Along with improving the safety of your bathroom, consider whether your flooring is ideal for your aging needs. If you have carpet, does it need to be replaced from wear? If you have harder flooring in the form of wood or tile, you may want to consider replacing it. Look for non-slip flooring options so you can feel safe walking around your home. Also, research flooring choices that offer shock absorption so it feels comfortable underfoot.

 

Decide if you want to downsize.

Now that you don’t have multiple kids living in your house, you may want to look into a smaller home. You can save on living costs if you are still paying off a mortgage and there will be less space to keep clean in a smaller home.

 

You can also look for senior-friendly homes to buy. These include houses that don’t have stairs, which can be cumbersome if your mobility decreases.

 

 

Make storage more accessible.

As you get older, it will be harder to get to the things you need. You might not be able to pull down heavy boxes of holiday decorations and may have a hard time opening plastic food containers. Go through the items in your home and determine which items need to be brought down from the attic or which kitchen items need to be replaced. This process is safer and can reduce your day-to-day frustrations.

 

If you aren’t sure where to store your high-up items, search for “storage unit near me,” to find a temporary space for them. You can store decorations and other mementos on a ground-floor unit with minimal heavy lifting.

 

Buy a safe for important items and documents.

Within your home office or bedroom, invest in a small safe that can hold your valuables and key documents. For example, you may want to put any special jewelry in there, your passport, a copy of your will, and any end-of-life letters or wishes. If you have a life insurance policy or work with a viatical settlement provider, you can keep this documentation in the safe in order to store it securely.

 

Make sure at least one loved one (usually the executor of your will) has access to the safe and knows the passcode. When you eventually pass away, they can go through your documents and find everything they need.

 

You don’t have to make any large home modifications to prepare for your 60s, but there are a few key changes you might want to make. With a safer shower or better-organized belongings, you can feel safe in your home and focus on doing activities you love.

Filed Under: Home & Garden

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Trish here! I’m a stay at home mom, a writer, a blogger. I love my family – three kids and a husband. We also have a cat and a dog. Our household can seem pretty busy at times, but everyone always pitches in to help out Read More…

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