Aging in Place with Universal Design

Think about it. You've paid off your mortgage, you've long known your neighbors and local shops, so why move when you need this financial and social stability the most? Well, if your home can't accommodate your physical needs, you'll find a move in your near future.

People actually go into assisted living because they can't use their bathrooms. They sell their homes and liquidate savings to have an assisted living center help them with bathroom activities. Most people would prefer to invest in making their existing home work for them, so they can stay put. Moving to an assisted living facility is the reason people's mental and physical health declines.

Money spent on your home is well spent -- not thrown to the wind. Take a look at this bathroom. The knee hole is wide enough for a wheelchair, if the owners ever need one. The mirror tilts down to the seated position. There is plenty of room to navigate with a wheelchair, and every towel bar is a grab bar. Note the uplighting, which prevents glare on the counters and floors and makes looking around easier from a seated position.

A recent MetLife study showed the average cost for a year in a nursing home (for one person) is $70-80,000 per year.

Northwestern University showed that the average cost of home health for an individual is $37,000 per year.

Compare these to the average cost to remodel a bathroom using Universal Design, which ranges from $30-35k.

I'm with the Davidson Committee on Aging, which advocates and educates seniors on staying in their homes (and communities) for as long as they choose.

#aginginplace #bathrenovation