Remodeling your house or moving into a “senior friendly” apartment may be the last thing on your mind, but what if you live for another ten or twenty years? You can’t get by on the premise that bad things only happen to other people. Old age is inevitable, and nobody gets through it unscathed.
Ageing-in-place sounds good, but does a fancy new name mean anything beyond refusing to leave your current home? Think about it. It’s a good question and one every senior needs to face.
Seniors often feel that it is too late to change, or that they don’t want to spend their hard-earned dollars on something that they aren’t sure they believe in. What you can believe in is that even if you take care of yourself, the likelihood of dealing with a chronic condition or two, or three, increases with each year that goes by.
Everyone wants to age successfully, but the first step is to shed the idea that ageing is something that only happens to other people. It is this sense of denial that drives people to focus on cosmetics or cosmetic surgery to “senior proof” their bodies, when they should be focusing on senior proofing their homes.
Creating a safe environment is easy. Coming to terms with ageing is more difficult. You already know that the possibility of arthritis, stroke, a cardiac crisis, hip fractures, knee pain or other unplanned conditions are all waiting in the wings.
If you prepare in advance, you might be able to work around these afflictions and still manage to live an independent lifestyle.
Keep in mind that the house that was perfect for you in our 30s is not so perfect now. High ceilings, multiples staircases, slippery bathtubs, sunken living rooms, small bedrooms and narrow hallways are just a few pitfalls that come to mind.
Don’t wait to remodel your home until you are ready to sell, or until one of the above-mentioned incidents happens to you. Remodel today so that you can enjoy every comfort, convenience, and safety feature available. No matter what you think, you really are worth it.
Leave a Reply