Home Improvements to Make When You’re Caring for Aging Parents

If your parents are aging, you might have discussed whether it’d be better for them to enter assisted living, remain on their own, or move in with you. Most parents would like to stay in their own homes when possible. It’s a good thing that there are all sorts of home renovations that you can get done that can help them remain safe – either in their home or yours. Here’s a quick look at a few of them.

New Flooring

Face it: flooring gets old. Whether you have hardwood, carpet, linoleum, or tile, it will age. Flooring companies near you will be able to get new flooring installed that will be safe for your parents. You don’t want there to be any cracked tiles, peeling linoleum, slick hardwood, or holey carpet for them to trip and fall on. Falling is such a massive ordeal for older people. It’s best to do whatever you can to prevent it.

Elevator

This is an expensive option, but if your parents are staying on a higher floor, it may be a necessary one. Along with the beauty of aging, there are a few downsides. One of these is arthritis, which can hamper movement – such as climbing stairs. If there are stairs in the house where your parents live, one way to make things a lot easier for them is an elevator. 

In-Home Monitoring

When you’re planning care for aging parents, this type of service might not help them when it comes to moving around, but it can help you with your level of worry. Many of today’s homes are smart or becoming that way. They have things like carbon monoxide detection, fire alarms, burglar alarms, and more. Companies are also offering in-home monitoring for seniors. This might include sensors that will be placed throughout the house so that families can keep track of the movements of their loved ones when they can’t be there in person.

Walk-In Bathtub

For those whose parents haven’t hit that slow decline yet, they still might be showing signs of a slowing of their mobility. One way to combat this, and allow them to still care for themselves for as long as possible, is to get them a walk-in bathtub. These can be incredibly helpful for those senior citizens who are experiencing difficulties when it comes to getting into and out of their bathtub. 

Widen Doorways

This option might become necessary if you have a family member who relies on a wheelchair to get from one room to another. This might cost a few hundred dollars for each doorway, but for your loved one to retain even the slightest bit of mobility, isn’t it worth it?

Blinds

Bad blinds can be a hassle for people – seniors or not. However, this can be especially true for people who don’t happen to be overly mobile. This makes automated and motorized window treatments a good idea. Using a mobile device or remote control, they’ll have the ability to set their window coverings while not needing to stand up or reach across anything. 

Disability Ramp

If one or both of your parents is reliant on a wheelchair or scooter for mobility, or that day is close at hand, this is more of a must than an option. Having a ramp that allows them to get into and out of their home (or yours) more efficiently is just good common sense. 

The renovations you’ve just read about will help when it comes to making daily life a bit easier for seniors who desire to remain in their home (or yours) for as long as possible.