If you want to call your house your forever home, an aging in place plan can help to keep you there. It can be difficult to resign yourself to decreasing muscle strength, reduced hearing and vision, risk of falling, and reduced mental processing. Instead of getting frustrated that things are hard to reach or unsafe to navigate, you can adapt your home to your changing needs.

You enjoy your home and like how you have always been able to get around and do what you want. But now you find things aren’t so easy anymore, and it would be nice to know that there are people and services that can increase your sense of freedom. Aging in Place home modification plans are the answer. You can make changes, large and small such as:

• Lowering your counter tops
• Widening doorways and adding wheelchair ramps
• Putting a full master bedroom suite on the first floor
• Move easily among levels of your home with private elevators or wheelchair lifts.
• Make your bathroom safer and more accessible with grab bars and roll in showers.

You want to live safely, independently and comfortably, regardless of your age or disability. Whether you are living by yourself or with a family member, you can design your own additions or home modifications that will help you continue living independently. Many homes are not designed to give you that freedom as you age, but trained advisors and qualified contractors are there to help you plan and create the flexibility you want.

Kitchens – Lower, drawer-style appliances are wheelchair accessible, while D-shaped pulls make opening cabinets easier. Softer flooring and rounded counters reduce the possibility of injury.

Doorways – Any entry can be widened for wheelchair width, thresholds can be eliminated and ramps can be installed.

Bathrooms – Water temperature controls and adjustable showerheads make it easy to get clean, while a curb-free, extra-wide shower with a bench makes showering more comfortable.

Staircases – These can be eliminated altogether with an elevator or a wheelchair lift; or a modified design can add gliding stair lifts on sturdy side rails.

Just about every area of your home can be aging in place modified.