aging gracefully in place doesn’t mean you need to deal with graceless home decor
7 minute read
safety updates such as fire prevention devices for automatic stove shut off and home monitoring systems that help caregivers and family check on their elder relatives are small updates with a big impact.
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one in five canadians will be aged 65 or older by the end of this year, according to the canadian association of retired persons (carp). in another 20 years, the number of canadians 85 and older will triple.
and although roughly 80 per cent will have some health or mobility issue (arthritis, diabetes or heart disease), 96 per cent prefer to remain in their own home rather than enter a retirement residence, says anthony quinn, president of carp. yet just half have made any additions or adjustments to make their homes elder-friendly.
“too many put off the accessibility changes that would allow them to stay in their own homes, and then it’s too late when they have a fall or a change in their mobility, and their home is no longer a practical place for them to live,” he says. “[by then] the required changes would take too long and cost too much to do all at once. so, all homeowners should think about future-proofing their desire to age at home.”
making those changes doesn’t mean your comfy, cosy home has to look clinical. additions can be both helpful and beautiful.
simple steps
simple measures such as removing loose area rugs can make a big difference.
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“everybody’s different, whether it’s a hearing issue, mobility or visual challenges,” says christine weber, principal, kasian architecture, interior design and planning, which specializes in senior living and wellness design. “just doing a few, simple things can make a big difference.”
start by tucking away clutter, securing hanging cords, and removing loose rugs. if you absolutely love that special rug, however, weber says why not hang it on the wall where you can still admire it without tripping over it. (with carpeting in general, low-pile is easier to traverse, especially with a mobility aid, than a thicker weave.)
having a stylish, maybe antique, table at the doorway to drop keys or bags frees up hands for balance, and a decorative bench offers a seat while putting on and off shoes.
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hand rails and grab bars near doors, toilet, and shower will help keep you on your feet, but many seniors resist installing grab bars because they’re often unattractive. “many companies are creating really nice grab bars, moen and kohler, for example,” says weber, with finishes and styles in stainless steel, chrome, bronze and brushed nickel which meld nicely with any decor.
stair railings, too, are rising to the occasion, with elegant options in wood, stainless steel, and glass (having two, one on each side, offers twice the security). choose those with a comfortable grip diameter of 1.25 to 1.5 inches, and in contrasting colours from the wall to make them easily visible. some rails have embedded led lighting and are often motion-activated.
grab bars and benches in the bathroom will help avoid slips and falls.
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even hand held showers come in a variety of attractive finishes to accent your bathroom, and are designed with longer hoses for ease of reach and mobility. single-handle faucets also guard against scalding. slip-resistant shower seats or benches designed in neutral but beautiful matte will match just about any tiling.
to minimize standing at a mirror or vanity, it’s handy to have a bench or stool to rest on, says weber, and styles are limitless. “companies are also making really nice tilt mirrors, [especially those] that go closer to the floor so you can see further down if you’re sitting.”
reduced hand strength or arthritis can make even twisting a door knob a pain. “lever handles are far easier to use and they can be installed in minutes and are often eligible for home accessibility tax credits,” says quinn.
for those with hearing issues, weber says, “there are acoustic wallpapers that are a bit thicker for deadening echo noises that make it difficult for people to hear.”
light the way
motion-activated nightlights might be the best $20 you’ll ever spend, says quinn. weber likes the kind that sit about 18 inches above the floor. “and a warm amber light helps with circadian rhythms so if you get up in the night you don’t wake up completely. there’s a product called snappower guidelight which has a little led at the bottom of the outlet plate that comes on when it’s dark.”
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she also likes motion-activated bed lights that come on when you step out of bed that light your way across the room but aren’t so bright they disturb others.
“as we age, our eyes need more light to see clearly, especially in the evening,” says quinn. “bright, glare-free lighting in hallways, staircases, bathrooms, and entryways can drastically reduce the risk of falls. the key is to create soft, continuous light that guides you from one room to the next without casting harsh shadows.”
weber says choosing lighting with a 60 per cent or more spread will create even floor lighting. “a 30 per cent spread creates a circle on the floor which looks like a hill when you’re trying walk through the space.” she says 2700 to 3000 on the kelvin scale creates a nice warm glow.
motion-activated nightlights might be the best $20 you’ll ever spend, says anthony quinn, president of carp.
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major changes
installing a walk-in or curbless shower, adding a ramp inside or out, widening doorways and hallways to accommodate mobility aids are easier done ahead of time, but can still be retrofitted any time.
“there’s an aversion to stair lifts that i’ve heard from many seniors,” says quinn. still, weber notes the cost has come down because so many people are installing them. “my parents have an acorn stair lift that’s beige, which doesn’t stand out too much.”
she says danish company pressalit specializes in height-adjustable countertops, cabinets, stoves, and sinks for the kitchen, and electric toilet lifters, adjustable counters and sinks for the bathroom. “the sink mounts to the bathroom wall, has a push button at the front and a handle you can hold onto. the whole sink moves up and down based on your needs.”
pullout pantries and pull-down shelving also offer ease of access, a job most cabinetmakers can do.
some people with visual challenges find different hues and textures help them know when they’re crossing from one room to another, such as going from tiled kitchen to a carpeted hallway and into a wood-floored living room (eliminating or reducing thresholds can prevent tripping). weber suggests choosing similar colours because, “patterned flooring that has very dark spots and very light spots can look like holes and hills which can decrease confidence for someone trying to navigate that space.”
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she says adding a baseboard that’s a darker hue from your carpet or floor helps delineate the floor and the wall. glare can be an issue for older people and those with vision challenges, so she recommends avoiding shiny finishes for floors and countertops.
even furniture for the older frame can be functional and chic. “there are a lot of new lift-assist recliners with beautiful scandinavian design,” says weber. “there are also custom sofa companies that can build to a senior’s living standard, so the seat is a little higher, and they can make the foam firmer.”
smart homes
seniors are getting more comfortable with tech in their lives, especially tech that makes their lives easier. video doorbells that integrate into existing doorbells enable homeowners to see who’s at the door. google nest and amazon smart thermostats adjust temperature by voice or cellphone. virtual assistants like amazon’s echo or google home lock and unlock doors, turn lights on and off, close blinds, and view camera feeds. fire prevention devices for the stove automatically shut off if it’s unattended for a certain period. home monitoring systems help caregivers and family check on their elder relatives.
fall detection devices have been around for a few years, but patricia debergue, director of the aging in place challenge program at the national research council of canada (nrc), says innovators are taking that a step further.
debergue says that new devices in development can “detect changes in your mobility, so [rather than] wait for a fall to happen they can see the evolution in changes in behaviour that could be a predictor of a fall and warn caregivers or the people themselves, and advise them to get assessed.”
she says the nrc is supporting research and development into these technologies, which are co-designed with the older adults and caregivers, and will soon be tested in a real-world setting.
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knowing about emerging technologies and even financial supports to be able to adopt them is key, says quinn. “carp has been pushing for stronger and more flexible supports to help canadians make their homes safer as they age,” he says. “the federal home accessibility tax credit is a good foundation, but it hasn’t kept up with the real cost of renovations. we’re advocating for an expansion to include a wider range of safety and accessibility upgrades, and for provincial governments to create complementary programs or grants. the idea is to make it easy and affordable to plan for aging in place before there’s a crisis, not after. think beyond just safety; think about comfort, convenience, and connection. preparing your home early is part of planning for a good life in later years.”
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