Preparing to Age in Your Home

As people age, their ability to navigate and function in environments they once thrived in will diminish. That means the living environment will have to be adapted to suit their needs. This probably is happening to a loved one of yours. From residential elevator installation in Louisiana to senior-proofing medications, virtually every aspect of elderly lives has to be examined and retrofitted to meet new needs. If a loved one of yours is there or if you are preparing for them to reach that point, here are a few tips.

Streamlined Access Points

Access points that a healthy adult can navigate might become danger zones to the elderly. Cracked sidewalks turn into major obstacles. Steps might as well be mountains. Every access point to a home becomes a possible place to trip, slip, or fall.

To prepare for this inevitability, every access point in a home must be inspected and modified to create an easy-to-navigate pathway, or some other method of access has to be created. For example, a residential elevator lift in Louisiana used to be considered a luxury; now, under the right circumstances, it’s considered a medical necessity and, in some cases, may be covered by insurance.     

Adapt Appliances

Navigating a kitchen for someone who is older can be a major challenge. Everything from preparing meals to cleaning up takes on new dimensions as dexterity, hearing, and eyesight falter. One suggestion is to switch to appliances with easy-to-read electronic control panels. Another is to install a wall oven; this allows for easy access to the oven and your senior will not have to lift heavy, hot pots and pans.

Internal Navigation

As challenging as access points can be for an older person, navigating within a home can pose an equal obstacle. If your senior is struggling to navigate their home and has a recognized medical condition that hampers their ability to move, you should talk with a residential elevator company in Louisiana today. In many cases where there is an established medical need, in-home elevators will be covered by private insurance and Medicare.

It’s a fact of life that as we age, the ability to navigate what was once easy suddenly becomes much more challenging. The trick is to make homes functional, even given the physical challenges. A residential elevator installation in Louisiana is just one idea of many that can greatly aid your elderly loved one as they age.