Assisted living communities certainly provide the best amenities and luxuries for elders to enjoy a peaceful lifestyle. However, some seniors still opt to spend their twilight years in their own homes. That’s because home is where they’ve spent decades and created infinite memories. In addition, as they age, they want to spend time with and be surrounded by their loved ones. If your parents wish the same thing, you must cooperate with them. You will not only let them age happily, but you will also save money on the costs of senior living communities.
You might not want your parents to age at home, and that’s completely normal. But don’t worry; you can help your parents age at home with a few simple changes and wise investments. Consider the suggestions below to make your house a friendlier and more optimal setting for your senior parents.
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Widen Doorways and Hallways
If your elderly parents rely on walkers or wheelchairs for movement, this is a necessity. Widening the doorways and hallways allows your parents to walk around the house more efficiently and comfortably. So call in the professionals, get quotes, and hire the cheapest yet best one for this home improvement task.
Change Flooring
Change the flooring in your home to keep your parents from slipping, tripping, and falling. You don’t want them to break their bones and suffer at this advanced age. Therefore, you should replace your old flooring with slip-resistant materials such as rubber floors. Rubber floors will support your aging parents in maintaining their balance and avoiding injury.
Spend Money on Specialized Products
You should make sensible purchases to bring comfort and safety in the house for your senior parents. Some wise investments include the following:
- LED Bulbs: Changing a light bulb is a dangerous chore; therefore, replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs is preferable. As opposed to regular bulbs, LED lights have a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours. Hence, your parents won’t need to change their bulbs, which means decreasing the chance of accidents. This keeps your parents safe if they live alone or if you spend the majority of your time outside.
- Specialized Seating: Your parents’ muscles stiffen as they age, limiting their movement. It becomes difficult for them to move around and complete tasks. However, you can put an end to their agony by easing their pain and calming their muscles. You can achieve this by purchasing specialized chairs like massage recliners from online retailers. These chairs can help relieve muscle tension and offering much-needed relief to your elderly parents. It allows them to move more freely and do things less painfully.
- Adjustable Bed: The sleep patterns of the elderly vary as they age. They find it more difficult to sleep than ever before. Having an adjustable bed in such a situation is beneficial. A bed with adjustable footrests and headrests provides maximum comfort. It allows your parents to choose the best resting position for them. You must think about purchasing such a bed suitable for your elderly parent.
Install Ramps
With your parents’ age, it becomes difficult for them to find balance. Stairs can be difficult and dangerous for those shaky feet. Therefore, you should install the ramps for them to transition inside and outside the house smoothly. If your parents move on wheels, then ramps are pretty helpful with that too.
Bathroom Modifications
Bathrooms are slippery and a dangerous place for your aging parents. You must add grab bars to prevent your parents from falling and getting an injury. To avoid falls from bathtubs, replacing a standard tub with a walk-in shower is also a good idea. Aside from that, get the toilet seat lifted to save your parents the embarrassment of having to seek assistance with toilet duty. This also relieves them from chronic joint discomfort and provides much-needed relief.
Kitchen Upgrades
In the dark, kitchen cabinets can be challenging for elders to navigate. They’ll probably end up bending for an extended period and subsequently develop or worsen back problems. Therefore, you’ll need to replace kitchen cabinets with pull-out shelves to make their lives simpler. Besides that, make appliances more accessible for your parents. For instance, install fixtures to help your parents lift and lower dishes for more effortless loading and unloading. This will help relieve their back and joint discomfort.
With proper planning and intelligent purchases, letting your parents age at home is not a challenge. You just need to be aware of potential hazards for your parents and devise a solution to address this.