Your home is the place you rest, cook, eat, spend time with family, pursue hobbies, and so much more. Ideally, your home will see you through many eras of your life, perhaps even your senior years.
If you want a home that you can live in for many years, there are certain decisions you can make now to ensure long-term comfort and independence. Here are some of the best ones.
Invest in a Home Elevator
You might not have serious mobility issues now, but what about when you get older? You don’t have to install a chair lift that gets in the way, but you can add a modern feature to your property with a home elevator.
This is a fantastic option. Not only will the elevator look modern and sleek, but it will also offer easy access up and down the stairs for you and any guests. As such, it’ll mean more independence even if your legs don’t work as well as they used to. They don’t need to take up as much room as you might expect, too, as you only really need one square metre inside the elevator (as well as vertical height leading up to the second floor).
Clear the Pathways
Your goal is to have pathways all throughout the home with minimal clutter or bulky furniture getting in the way. If you can’t walk freely from one room to the next throughout the house, then there’s a problem.
You might not have a problem ducking or squeezing through right now, but what about when you are older and potentially have mobility issues? So, clear the routes now. The area will feel much more spacious!
Think About Heights
Do you constantly find yourself bending down or reaching high up? Not only can this do damage to the knees, but it may also become nearly impossible in the future. So, create a home where everything is at an appropriate height. That might mean raising your countertops, drawers, cabinets, shelves, washing machine, and dryer. A toilet at a more comfortable height will come in handy too, and will benefit your knees and hips as the years pass.
Smart Lighting
A lifelong home requires good lighting. Start by thinking about the position of your lights. Add task lighting to certain areas, such as in the kitchen and in a reading nook, to prevent eye strain. From there, consider smart lights, which allow you to turn your lights on and off from your phone, meaning you can avoid bending down or reaching around for switches.
Prevent Slips with the Right Flooring
Last but not least, invest in high-quality flooring that not only stands the test of time but also prevents slipping. For this, you could choose cork, safety vinyl, or anti-slip porcelain. Carpet is also a good idea, and it will also do double duty of adding insulation (although be aware that carpets can be harder to clean compared to hard flooring).
Your home should be comfortable not just now, but also for many years. While there will inevitably be updates you need to do, it helps to start sooner rather than later when it comes to creating a home that you can enjoy even in your older years. Small and big additions can each make a great difference – you could clear the pathways today, and perhaps start thinking about adding an elevator or installing new floors tomorrow.
