Attractive Upgrades that Will Make Your Home Safer and More Comfortable
Most of us want to live in our homes as long as possible. The problem is, our homes may not be aging as well as we are, preventing aging in place. Do you have hard, slippery surfaces in your bathroom? Is your home dark and hallways narrow? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 235,000 people visit emergency rooms each year due to injuries they’ve sustained in the bathroom alone. Despite this humbling statistic, many homeowners resist making changes to their bathroom that will make it safer. Why? Because they fear their beautiful bathroom will look “institutional” and hospital-like.
Thankfully, times have changed. Some of the amenities that will make your home safer and easier to navigate—walk-in showers, natural lighting, wider doorways—are also some of today’s latest design trends. Old grab bars are today’s new shower rails. Higher seated toilets are today’s comfort height. Easy-to-use handles on cabinets and doors are today’s ergonomic features. This type of adaptable design is known as “aging in place,” making your home comfortably welcoming to all ages and abilities.