Are you someone who likes to always be planning for the future? Wanting to make the most of your home while also ensuring you have peace of mind when it comes to ageing gracefully and staying in the place you love for as long as possible? With more Canadians than ever reaching the retirement age in Alberta and across the country, Age in Place or accessibility-focused home design has become an increasing focus in the renovation world. The reality for many people as they age is that, as much as they may love the home they’re in, it might not be as safe for them when they get older and face the many difficulties that creep in over time. Fortunately, taking a proactive approach to age in place and accessible home design can go a long way to preventing such challenges and allow you to enjoy your home as you age, while also boosting property value in the future.
At Peak Improvements one of our biggest passions is ensuring that everyone has a safe, accommodating home, regardless of your age or place in life. Below, we’ll talk about the benefits of proactive planning when it comes to ageing in place, as well as key renovations to consider for the future. Read on to learn more!
What Are Age in Place Renovations?
Have you ever looked around your home and taken a moment to consider any of the features that might make it more challenging for you, or anyone else in your family to navigate as you age or should you ever face any accessibility challenges? Many homeowners tend to overlook these aspects, but age in place renovations focus on the areas of your home that can pose a risk to mobility or access inhibited individuals and seek to create a safer, more accessible design for everyone.
When Should You Start Planning?
While you can wait to do some age in place renovations like adding bars to the shower, the sooner you decide to plan out your renovations, the easier it will be to save up for the future and break things down into phases rather than being forced to make major changes all at once. If you know you want to be able to remain in your home for as long as possible, it’s best to sit down with a contractor sooner than later to discuss what kind of changes you might need to look at, as well as what order to prioritize them in.
Common Areas to be Renovated
Every home is different, so there’s no way to directly say what your home will need until a more thorough look is given. With that being said, there are generally some common areas that will need to be altered in most homes in order to be more accessible in the future. These include:
Kitchens
The kitchen is one of the most important parts of our home, and accessibility is key for our daily routine. Adding extra navigation space, lowering cabinets, including non-slip flooring, and upgrading your lighting makes meal preparation safe and easy.
Bathrooms
For those with mobility concerns, bathroom renovations are a must for accessibility and safety. Adding accessible showers, stability bars, better lighting, and proper flooring can help reduce risks, and allow you to navigate with ease.
Master Suites
Finally, we all need to be able to have a dedicated space for rest in our homes, and the master bedroom is one of the most important areas to be altered. Accessible friendly designs can focus on lowered light switches or touchless lighting controls, cushioned flooring, and stability bars near the bed.
Design An Accessible Home with Peak Improvements
Planning for the future doesn’t have to feel like a hassle. The Peak Improvements team is pleased to work alongside our clients to create the perfect home for today, tomorrow, and well into the future. Contact us now to learn more!