Aging-in-Place Design: Making your parents safe and comfortable in their home or yours
by JTGoldberg

Many Americans are helping parents cope with aging issues.  If you’re one of them, here are some ways to improve their comfort and safety in accident-prone bathrooms: 

  • Replace knob-style faucets with lever-handled f

aucets

  • Replace a standard toilet with a comfort height version
  • Add grab bars in the shower, tub and toilet areas
  • Replace a wall-mounted shower head with one on a slide bar
  • Replace a pre-code shower valve with a non-scald version
  •  Add a bench to the shower stall
  •  Increase the bathroom’s lighting
  • Check that the vent fan is working properly to help avoid mold
  • Replace any sharp-cornered countertops with rounded ones
  •  Replace smooth, slick flooring with a less slippery textured tile.
  • Remodel any tubs that have steps to tubs without steps, or walk-in/roll-in shower stalls
  • Widen any doorways to allow for walkers or wheelchairs to get through.
    • Submitted by JTGoldberg (view blog) on Sat, 07/19/2008 - 02:01

    Comments

     

    excellent suggestions

    Great ideas! thanks. I will use some of your suggestions. There are a couple there I didn't think of. Melody

    Submitted by comfortkeeper on Sat, 07/19/2008 - 04:50
     

    Getting Ready for being an "aging
    parent"...yikes!

    Barbara's Travels...at home in the world!

    http://torristravel.blogspot.com

    (Check the blog to see what this "aging parent" is doing now!!)

    Yes,  they are wonderful suggestions.  May I add that my wicked sense of humor kicked in! When do you start looking into this?   My children started talking about this sort of thing when I was 55.  Now I want to tell you I plan to live a very long time!  I am 66 now, healthy, living in a three level condo and want to sell this award winning home so my husband and i can try out Arizona for a while.  We also own an RV that we will sell to help with the move.  

    Please no non-scalding shower....YET!!!

     When the time comes, I hope my children have the good sense to look at a list like yours or at least find me a place that has all of them.

     b

    Submitted by Barbara-b on Sun, 08/31/2008 - 11:10
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