3 Bathroom Remodeling Ideas To Help You Age At Home
For more and more modern senior citizens, the idea of staying in their home as they grow older is looking a lot better than the alternative of selling out and moving into a retirement home or assisted living facility. Because remodeling is such an accessible thing and home health care is readily available in most areas, it is more possible than it ever has been before for you to simply spend the rest of your days in the surroundings you already have as an aging adult. However, aging at home can also mean you have to be willing to make some changes–specifically in the bathroom. Here are three bathroom remodeling ideas that will fit in with your aging-at-home plans.
Have a wider entryway installed on your primary bathroom.
Accessibility to the bathroom in your home should be very easy because your mobility could diminish as you get older. Making sure the bathroom is easily accessible sometimes means installing a wider door that can easily accommodate the width of a wheelchair. It is recommended that doorways that are at least 32-inches in width for a normal wheelchair to pass through.
Consider installing a walk-in tub or shower enclosure with a seat.
Bathing can become increasingly difficult as you get older. Even if you do not have to rely on a wheelchair or walker, lifting your legs high enough to get into a standard tub can prove to be a challenge and may lead to slips and falls. To prevent this problem, it is best to consider having a simple walk-in shower stall installed or a walk-in tub. Walk-in tubshave a door that opens on the side to allow you to step inside and then the door closes with a tight seal to keep water in.
Swap out cabinets under the sink for a floating or pedestal sink instead.
Having access to the sink in your bathroom will be important as you get older, but if you become reliant on a wheelchair, or even a walker, getting to a comfortable position at the sink can be a challenge with cabinets in the way beneath. Swapping the vanity you have for a simple pedestal or floating sink will eliminate this problem. Plus, it will give you more room to maneuver in the space, which can be important if you do have mobility devices eventually or if you have to have help from another person.