23% of Canadians expected to reach ages 65+ by 2031, senior and accessibility friendly design has become a huge focus within the home building industry. Working with skilled contractors can help ensure your home remains safe and comfortable to navigate as you age, allowing you to enjoy your space for as long as possible. Learn more about about aging in place, and how you can plan ahead below! What Is ‘Aging In Place’ Aging in place refers to the ability to remain in your home or community independently as you age. For many seniors, this is a particularly welcome option, as it reduces the stress of moving into a ‘home’, and allows you to continue to enjoy the comfort of your familiar space and community. While everyone will have a unique journey when it comes to the aging process, being aware of the common challenges faced by older homeowners can help you plan ahead and circumvent such difficulties for yourself. Core components of age-friendly homes focus on accessibility, comfort, and help reduce risk in key areas of the home.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.96" background_layout="light"]How Early Do I Need To Start Planning? There’s no one answer when it comes to planning out accessibility minded renovations, however, it’s always best to start thinking ahead as soon as possible. Not only will this give you more time to save for any necessary renovations, but it also gives you the chance to sit down with a contractor well in advance and develop a long term plan to help future remodels move quickly if they are needed. For younger homeowners who may not need to worry about a senior friendly layout yet, but who wish to make the most of their investment, ensuring your home is accessible is a fantastic way to add to your property value and expand your resale market.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type="1_2"][et_pb_image _builder_version="3.0.96" src="http://abbey-platinum-master-built-v1731517776.websitepro-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/136A9810-Edit.jpg" show_in_lightbox="off" url_new_window="off" use_overlay="off" always_center_on_mobile="on" force_fullwidth="off" show_bottom_space="on" alt="central alberta seniors home renovations" /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.96" background_layout="light"]What Areas Of The Home Are Covered? As we’ve mentioned, the core objective of age in place remodelling is to ensure that your home is safe to navigate in your later years. As we age, mobility can become a challenge as our joints begin to ache, making once simple tasks more of a challenge. A solid design can help to mitigate difficulties for homeowners by:
- Installing non-slip floors and grab bars in bathrooms
- Lowering the height of light switches or installing touch less lighting
- Widening door frames and hallways to facilitate easy navigation with a walker or wheelchair, and more.