Aging in Place: Introduction
Hey there! Have you ever thought about the benefits and the possible challenges of aging in place? It’s really something to carefully consider.
Being able to stay in the comfort of your own home as you age can really impact your quality of life in a positive way. Not only does it provide familiarity and sense of independence, but it can also be a practical financial decision. There are plenty of ways to ensure a safe and comfortable living space, even with the potenial physical and cognitive challenges that often come with aging. So, let’s talk about how you can make the most out of your golden years by staying put in your home sweet home while aging in place!
Location becomes important while Aging in Place
Aging in place. A topic near and dear to my heart…
This blog will be updated periodically – please check back if you are on this journey with us.
Independence, familiarity, special services, comfort, maneuverability, safety and proximity to places important to my parents were just some of the things considered when they decided to build a new home upon their retirement. My Mom designed the basic plan and we tweaked it to allow for possible needs in the future so they could age in place and hopefully never need to move again. My Dear Ol’ Dad enjoyed adding upgrades for the beauty aspect throughout the years as he loved entertaining family members in their home.
Being close to their church was very important to them as well as proximity to health care, grocery shopping and Home Depot.
Aging in Place: Custom build or Renovate
For those who are in the planning stages of aging in place we have compiled a list of some of the things that might be important when considering home choices or even home renovations. (Be aware that there are different kinds of renovation loans available so please ask me for an updated list of programs and loan professionals to consult – even if you CAN pay cash it might be a good idea to hold onto it and look into reasonable finance options while aging in place.)
An Aging in Place CHECKLIST designed to assist you while planning to custom build, renovate or relocate is below.
Bathroom:
Spacious, well designed bathrooms allowing room to manuever using a wheelchair, scooter or walker.
36″ wide doorways and possible use of specialized door hinges, pocket doors or sliding barn doors.
Staggered vanity heights for standing or sitting providing a knee space if sitting. Hands free faucets and soap dispensers. Ample gab bars in strategic locations (both vertical and horizontal).
Walk-in or even roll-in showers with space for shower chair or stool. Many have found that having a built-in seat was too limiting and using a folding, removable seat was best.
For some shower doors are harder to manuever. Large thoughfully designed showers will not need a door nor a shower curtain.
Grab bars inside and outside of the shower area.
Handy towel location.
Heat lamp to allow warmth while not fully clothed.
Spacious water closet in case assistance is needed, or placement of toilet if it will not be in a water closet. Comfort height toilets and toilet seat extenders with or without arms can be very useful. A temporary solution is to place a portable potty chair over the toilet at the desired height and so that the arm rests can be used to help with standing up.
Glow-in-the-dark toggle light switches in easy to reach locations.
Areas and/or closets with automatic lights when you enter the are super cool – especially if a dimmer is available so the brightness of the light can be adjusted.
Mirrors on hinges that allow them to be raised or lowered and moved left and right.
Bathroom Flooring:
Keep in mind that throw rugs can be dangerous when getting around becomes more of a shuffle than a full step.
Tile floors can be heated if too cold.
Luxury vinyl is very easy to maintain and more affordable than expected.
Storage areas:
Accessible storage areas in case low or high are too hard to reach, drawers instead of lower cabinets, roll out and pull down (or up) cabinet shelving.
Closet with pull down rods.
In our pantry, cabinets AND refrigerator we utilize turn tables for easier access and to maximize the storage space.
Home design
At least one bedroom, full bath, kitchen and laundry on one level with no stairs. If avoiding stairs is not possible there are ramps & chair lifts that can be installed.
For two story homes or homes with a basement you can stack your closets or have a space created next to the stairs for a future elevator.
Handrails can be diguised as decorative trim if secured properly.
Ramps for transition areas come in many sizes and made of various products to make entry and exiting easier. An easy way to exit in order to enjoy the outdoors is highly recommended. We have a deck off of the kitchen area with a bistro height table which can be used standing or sitting, for example.
For interior and exterior doors that may not be wide enough there are special hinges that help get the door out of the way providing a little extra room.
Smart home technology comes in handy if it would be easier to adjust lighting, temperature or even unlock an exterior door for a visitor without leaving your chair or bed.
Electrical outlets higher than usual make it much easier to access without bending way over or moving furniture.
Flooring
Carpet might be difficult if a scooter or wheelchair is needed. Luxury vinyl is easy to maintain and comes in many styles and colors now looking like ceramic tile or hardwood floor. We are replacing most of the flooring with LVP and moving away from carpet.
Bedroom :
A spacious bedroom with enough room to add a hospital bed temporarily for easier recuperation after surgery, etc. is a wonderful feature. This allows you to stay in your usual surroundings without a tremendous amount of effort.
Kitchen:
Be sure the layout allows room for a wheelchair or scooter, consider adding more drawers instead of lower cabinets, should the counter height be higher or lower or maybe staggered for both sitting and standing? Would a wall oven and separate cooktop be best? Oven door at eye level is recommended. (Will you be sitting or standing?)
Carefully consider the location of the microwave and the location of the controls for the cooktop or range. I’m a fan of under cabinet microwaves but they are hard for my Mom to reach. She can no longer lift her arms above her head without surgery.
Task lighting
Under cabinet lighting is super helpful!
Active Adult Communities popular for those Aging in Place
Alluring aspects of Active Adult Communities:
If the idea of customizing or renovating your existing home in order to age in place doesn’t appeal to you then you might be amongst scores of Active Adults who have worked hard, provided for their families, weathered many of life’s storms and now feel it is finally their turn to create an environment that works for them!
When beginning the selection process for aging in place sometimes it seems like “down sizing” then there is the realization that the actual size of the home may not be what you want or need to change. Ease of exterior maintenance, well thought out home designs and features, proximity to shopping, stores that deliver, healthcare and places of worship, etc. become important to consider.
“Right sizing” in the right location is key when planning for agint in place! The question to be asked is, “All things considered, what is right for you?”
Besides their location there are other things that often set Active Adult communities apart from one another. Some starter questions to ask are below. (For a full list or a free brainstorming session please contact me):
Amenities and social activities offered?
Home layout and finishes?
Upgrades available for an additional investment?
Gated or not?
Are children or grandchildren allowed to enjoy the amenities like the community pool?
Are the ages of the owners limited? If so, just realize that will reduce the “buyer pool” when the time comes to sell.
Are rentals allowed? Is there a cap on how many will be allowed to be rentals? Is there an additional fee if you are a non-occupant owner? (Important if the owner needs to go to Assisted Living temporarily and they want to rent out their home until they return or if the heirs decide to rent it out in the future. Also, it is important to understand if the community could potentially turn into mostly rentals or not.)
Are they single family homes or duplexes, quads, etc.? Is the community a condominium (with detached and/or attached units).
Are there any tax exemptions based on age in the county you are considering?
What do the fees cover? It can be very helpful to make a list of everything covered and compare how much it would cost for those items individually. Almost always it is much less than paying individually. Sometimes, it’s super helpful to get a clear understanding of what is NOT included.
There is an Epcon Community in McDonough Georgia where I worked for several years called The Meadows at Jodeco. I had so much fun hosting social events at the Community Clubhouse and getting to know all of the owners.
While the homes were under construction the owner/Developer allowed the buyers to choose several things to personalize thier homes. At that particular community many things were covered in the monthly dues and I will list those below.
What is NOT covered in the monthly dues is a short list:
Gas, Electricity, Cable, Interent, land line, security Alarm monitoring, Property Taxes, Hazard insurance deductible, contents insurance and groceries! (That’s supposed to be funny)
Back to a real life example of what the monthly fees cover in this specific Condo community with attached and detached homes where I still own one of very few rentals.
It is located in Henry County, Georgia (which also has property tax advantages for us as we age) :
- Water
- Sewer
- Trash pick up
- Pest control inside and out
- Termite Bond
- Hazard Insurance
- Exterior maintenance
- (lawn care, weed control, gutter cleaning, pressure washing, freshening of landscape bed filler (pine straw or stones, etc.)
- Roof repairs and roof replacement when the time comes
- Maintenance of the retention ponds and fountains
- Maintenance of the fence around the perimeter of community
- Street Lights
- Private Road Maintenance
- Two gated entrances
- Call box system
- Salt water pool
- Clubhouse
- Fitness area
- Centralized mail stations
- Reserve funds
- Professional Property Management
Keep in mind that some communities might fit all of the needs without being age restricted. Those are known as age targeted. Age targeted means the amenities, services, home layouts, etc. are geared to meet the needs of active adults; however, any age is welcome to purchase in the community.
It can be difficult to determine all of these things especially if it is a re-sale situation or if things change so please reach out to me if you would like my assistance.
Why I love community lawn care
When choosing a community that includes lawn maintenance for everyone there is no longer a concern about the neighbor or even yourself keeping up the yard if you are not able or out of town, etc. One of the best perks is having beautiful surroundings maintained by someone else!
Of course, when aging in place where community lawn care is not included you can always hire a lawn care service; it can just be difficult to keep your surroundings as nice as you might like.
Centralized mail stations or individual mail boxes?
Centralized mail comes in handy if you travel or just don’t plan to collect your mail daily.
Advantages of Home Owners Associations and Condo Owner Associations
Belonging to a community with an HOA or COA can help maintain and/or increase property values by combining the efforts and resources of like-minded home owners in the same community for common goals. For example, instead of having individual pools there can be a community pool where everyone shares in the expenses. The community entrances can be gated to manage access and traffic. The surroundings and common areas can be beautified and professionally maintained. A master water meter can be used instead of individual water meters. Pest control can be contracted for the community as a whole. And the list goes on.
Community social events can be hosted at the community clubhouse rather than at individual homes.
Fitness areas can be in the community clubhouse rather than needing exercise equipment in your home.
Design features in Active Adult Communities
Single level living with a bonus room upstairs can come in handy for caregivers. Many of the house plans at The Meadows at Jodeco offer bonus suites with a full bath, bedroom, separate living room and storage. Some even have a wet bar area with upper & lower cabinets, a small sink, counter space with room for a microwave and an area for a mini fridge.
Financing options available while Aging in Place
Financing options – Active Adults have learned that it is not always best to use up their savings. Throughout the years they have found the benefits of financing to allow peace of mind while aging in place. Cash discounts do not usually save enough money to make a big difference. There is no age limit for home loans (that would be discriminating). Reverse Mortgages are also an option and the fees, etc. associated are based on the age of the homeowner(s). These types of loans can help secure the layout and finishes needed without increasing the payment to the point of no longer being affordable on a fixed income. It might be worth the effort to learn more about this option and what it means for the heirs also. Reverse Mortgages are backed by FHA and I encouraged my Grandmother to use it because she was very independant and did not want us “supporting her”. I wanted her to have better living conditions without the extra expense so she could remain comfortable and safe at home without being concerned about outliving her resources while aging in place. She ultimately decided against it but once I took the time to truly understand it I really believe it can be a wonderful option.
Free Aging in Place consultation with a Specialist
Once we realize how important planning for our future and that of our loved ones is, it can feel overwhelming. Since 2014 I have helped well over 50 people through this process and everyone had different needs and priorities. Please contact me for a free brainstorming session or to view properties to get ideas of what might be good solutions while aging in place. I have found that it is generally a very time consuming process so I suggest starting sooner rather than later. I can be reached by phone, text, email, FB messenger, in my Facebook group, etc.
