Aging in place or moving in with family members comes with a host of mental and emotional benefits. AARP reports that more than 75 percent of adults older than age 50 want to stay in their homes as they age, but many worry that it involves major expenses and renovations. Not so!
The key is to acknowledge challenges and meet them with appropriate solutions, such as the following products that allow one to remain safe and self-sufficient and maintain an excellent quality of life.
One example is a smart doorbell, which saves you from having to get up to see who it is every time someone rings the bell. Plus, it doubles as a security device. Opt for one with video and two-way communications. Wireless models require battery changes or recharging, while wired versions offer constant power but are harder to install.
Reach for the Stars
Reaching and bending might be more challenging than they once were. Items placed on a high shelf can be accessed with a step stool, but why not stand with both feet securely on the ground and use a grabber tool instead?
Get one with a high rating, easy-pull trigger, and strong jaws. Adjustable-length, foldable, and magnetic tip options are available. All excel at retrieving dropped keys, pill bottles, and other small items; reaching ceiling-mounted fan pulls; and even holding a microfiber cloth to clean the top of windows. The whole family will use it.
Slip Prevention
Falls are always a concern, particularly in the tub or shower. Suction cup grab bars provide a secure handhold without requiring permanent installation. They work well on tiles, glass, fiberglass, acrylic, and other non-porous surfaces.
For more secure footing, get a shower mat with plenty of grippy suction cups, a textured surface, and one that has many drain holes to help prevent mold and mildew growth. Another option is to use anti-slip adhesive shower stickers or strips.
Consider putting a heavy-duty indoor/outdoor anti-slip traction tape on stairs, entryways, patios, decks, and other potentially slippery areas around the home.
Sitting Pretty
Shower chairs, which allow for a moment of rest or for bathing while seated, are becoming more popular. As a result, you can find them in multiple attractive colors and configurations, including models with backrests, armrests, and mobility features such as wheels or sliding seats. Combined shower and over-the-toilet commode models are available as well.
Alternatively, a toilet seat riser will add three to 5 1/2 inches to the toilet height. Look for one that securely attaches to the toilet, is hinged for easy cleaning, and fits the particular bowl (round or elongated). With or without side handles is a personal preference.
Logical Living Rooms
Ranging in height from two to six inches, couch risers make the sofa easier to get out of without substantially changing the decor.
Power-lift recliners use a motorized lifting mechanism to raise the user up and out. They typically offer more resting positions than a basic recliner.
Consider removing throw rugs throughout the house, as they’re a trip hazard.
Bed Time
Bed rails don’t just keep one safely in bed—they make getting in and out easier. Add some handy storage pockets to keep books, phones, tablets, remotes, and reading glasses readily at hand.
A sit-up assist device, which attaches to the foot of the bed and features several ladder-like handholds, allows a mobility-impaired person to pull himself into a sitting position or to get out of bed on his own.
Hand-y Helpers
Do you love the doorknob look but find it difficult to grip? Cover it with a silicone grip-enhancing cover or adapter. It’s easily removed if no longer needed or when selling the home.
Three-spoke, two-inch-diameter lamp switch enlargers are ideal for weak or arthritic hands, while appliance knob-turning aids make it easier to cook on the stove, run the dishwasher, and use the washer and dryer.
And let’s not forget a key-turner aid. Styles range from simple “keywings” to a clever keychain that turns into a key handle, making it easier to unlock doors.
Brighter Is Better
Use automatic night-lights to illuminate halls and stairs and reduce trip hazards without disrupting night vision. No outlets? Rechargeable or battery-powered options are available.
For full illumination, add motion-activated light switches to the hall, stairway, and other lighting.
Welcome Home
Standard threshold ramps for the front door or garage-to-house step-ups are available online in a convenient variety of heights, from half an inch to more than six inches. For entries with multiple steps or stairs, options range from portable, foldable, yet ruggedly durable models to modular semipermanent and permanent systems that are DIY-skillset installable. Check the weight limits, particularly if using a mobility scooter.
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Stay-at-Home Tech
A keypad-style smart door lock removes the need to struggle with keys. Set it to automatically lock after a designated time after closing for additional safety.
Sit Back and Relax
Dusk-to-dawn and motion-sensing bulbs turn on automatically to light up the night. Other smart bulbs turn on and off via a remote, app, or home voice assistant such as Alexa or Google Home. Consider remote window blinds, shades, curtains, and thermostats, too.
Bathroom Independence
Comprehensive remote control bidet toilet seats help promote independence with adjustable water pressure, adjustable temperature settings, unlimited warm water, a warm air dryer, heated seats, and self-cleaning nozzles, all at the touch of a button. A soft close lid prevents slamming.
Safer Cooking
Automatic stove shutoff devices work several ways. Some turn off after a user-settable timer or a preset time has elapsed. Others monitor for a lack of activity in the kitchen or the sound of a smoke detector alarm. Some will beep before shutting off to allow intervention.
