Category: Home Improvements
-
When the kids ask you what you want for Christmas, instead of mumbling “I don’t need anything,” tell them that the best Christmas present in the world, beyond the pleasure of having them home for the holidays, would be for them to help safety proof your bathroom. You can either shop together or they can…
-
You are officially “older” when you, or someone near and dear to you, starts having trouble getting into and out of chairs. At home you/they can distract everyone with conversation or laughter, but when you upend a table at a restaurant it is downright embarrassing. You are already doing exercises to strengthen your leg muscles,…
-
The holidays are over. The company has gone home, the tree is out at the curb, and the decorations have put away; you may be feeling a little lonely. Know that you are not alone. The long drab days of winter give most of us the heebie-jeebies. Researchers tell us that the winter blues aren’t…
-
Holiday activities and multi-tasking go hand and hand. I tried to do too many things at once and found the end result a little too disturbing for comfort. Leaving food simmering on the stove while showering and getting ready to leave the house for an appointment was one task too many. Yes, I knew better…
-
The bathroom is the most dangerous room in the house, and it’s the room that you go into most often. Think about it; wet and slippery floors, poor lighting, cold enamel tiles, a slippery tub, and narrow doors. We spend a lot of time talking about falls and fall prevention, and for good reason. Anyone…
-
We talked about the tradition of spring cleaning last week, but barely touched on how we need to change our game plan as we age. Change is difficult, especially if you have fond memories of spring cleaning frenzies. A friend of mine still insists on carrying on the tradition herself. Here, with her permission and…
-
Your six bedroom house was the perfect family home when you actually had a “family,” but what happens now? Are you going to dig in your heels and stay there, or are you going to pull up stakes and move? My husband and I made the decision to move a few years ago, but the…
-
Don’t be an accident waiting to happen. Accidents do happen you know, and not just to the other guy. “What if” it happens to you? Bathtub safety is a big “what if,” and a pretty scary one at that. My husband found that out last week, when for the first time in his life he…
-
“Aging up” (getting older) can be more than a little challenging. Seniors have been telling me for years that “getting old isn’t for sissies,” and like many other old sayings this one is based on a certain amount of truth. Challenges present in many forms. Functional disabilities related to chronic illness, failing memory, difficulty seeing…
-
Many seniors like living alone. They don’t want a roommate, they don’t want to live in a retirement community, and they don’t want to live with family. After years of communal living, the idea of a few years of “alone time” can be quite intoxicating. Living alone can foster a lovely sense of independence,…