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While many senior citizens consider downsizing and moving to a smaller home, many want to stay where they are. They don’t want to move from place to place and would rather age in their current home. What is ageing in place and what does it mean?  

What is Aging in Place?

Ageing in place means an individual decides he or she wants to remain in their current living conditions for the rest of their life. They plan to make upgrades and renovations to help them adjust to an ageing lifestyle and live a happy, enjoyable life. These could be upgrades, repairs, and renovations to support the individual both physically and mentally and help them maintain a positive quality of life.

3 Tips to Age in Place

Depending on your current home, there may be several extensive projects to help with ageing in place. Here are three tips to help transform your home and make it more functional as you age.

1. Focus on the Bathroom

The bathroom is one area of the home that you will frequent often and can be very dangerous if certain precautions are not taken. If needed, you may need to expand and create a larger and more open bathroom area. You should also consider installing handles near the toilet and in the bathtub, making it easy to lift yourself up. If you rarely take a bath, consider a walk-in shower. If you enjoy a sitting in a tub, install doors that allow you to walk into the tub rather than step over it. Lastly, to avoid any slipping accidents, place non-slip coatings in showers or bathtubs.

2. Create Larger Walkways

While you may not be in a wheelchair now, you may need one in the future. Make all main walkways in your home accessible for a wheelchair. This means things such as hallways, door frames, and space around furniture should be wide and open. You may need to work with a contractor to expand some of the main areas in your home.

3. Install No-Step Entryways

For many homes, you may have to climb several steps to get inside. This can increase your risk of falls and injury. To avoid this, create a no-step entry into your home. This could be something as simple as replacing stairs with a ramp or creating a new entry point into your point. Again, you will want to work closely with a contractor to determine the best course of action for your specific home.  

As you age, you should feel comfortable and enjoy your life. You should not feel the stress of moving and downsizing. By ageing in place, you can live in your beautiful home but still create a place that is functional and safe for your new lifestyle and needs.
 

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JOSHUA CAMPBELL (@knowledgebrkr)
Real Estate Broker
Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Centre, Brokerage
joshua@knowledgebroker.ca
249 Avenue Road • Newmarket, ON L3Y 1N8
289.231.0001