Aging Comfortably in Your Own Home

It has taken a lifetime of hard work to build a wonderful life like the one you have. Over the years that you’ve worked, you’ve saved for retirement, bought a house (or locked down a long-term rental), and accomplished so much. Now, as you grow older, it’s time to rest and enjoy the fruits of your hard work.

If you’re like most people, you want to age comfortably in your home. Maybe you have some plans for a retirement escape, but you most likely don’t want to head to an assisted living facility—at least, not any sooner than is strictly necessary. With that in mind, though, you’ll want to make some changes and be aware of a few things. After all, we don’t all get to grow old in our own homes. To protect your home life for as long as possible, you’ll need a proactive attitude and a little ingenuity. Keep reading to find out more.

Health and security

What would happen if you were to fall down and hurt yourself while alone in your house? Dangers like this are the reason that so many people end up having to leave their homes in old age. But you can extend your time at home by considering a medical alert system.

Such systems are simple to set up and even easier to use. Just hit a button to call for help—most systems will allow you to wear a button on a dongle around your neck or wrist (or put one on a keychain), so you’ll never be far from the connection you need.

Different medical alert systems offer different features, so do your research and choose the right one for you. Depending on your health and security needs, you may find that one system works better than another.

Home modifications

The key to smart modification is to establish the challenges that you face (or that you think you’ll face soon), and then to tailor your home-modification plan to those specific needs, explain experts in home modifications for elderly people. Your home, too, should be taken into account. Which stairs will need stairlifts, if any? Which bathrooms should be outfitted with walk-in showers? Your needs in the master bathroom are likely different from in the guest bathroom, for instance.

To modify your home to suit your golden years, you’ll need to speak to a contractor with experience in these sorts of modifications. Consult with the experts, and be sure to invest in quality work—a cheap job becomes expensive indeed when you have to hire a better team to redo the first team’s work.

Stay one step ahead

As you grow older, you’ll need to make changes like the ones laid out above to accommodate your new needs. But here’s the thing: If you wait too long to make these changes, you may find it difficult to make them at all.

You don’t want to be directing contractors when you’re not feeling well. You want the work to already be done. And you don’t want to be on the phone ordering a monitoring system at the last minute as you try to justify staying in your home after some unfortunate health developments. You’d much rather have everything already in place, so that the moment you need it, it’s there.

So don’t be reactive when it comes to senior-proofing your home—be proactive. Get these big changes made ahead of time, and get more out of your golden years. You’ll be spending them where you belong: in your own home.