People love their homes! It’s difficult when we are faced with the decision to continue to live at home or move to a retirement home. A recent trend called “aging in place” remodeling involves renovating your home to ensure that it’s safe as you age. That way you can remain in your beloved home longer.
Cost of Remodeling vs. Long-term Care or Retirement Homes
You might be wondering about the cost of renovation versus long-term care or retirement homes. The average cost for a semi-private room in a nursing home is $6,844 per month. The cost for a private room is $7,698 a month. And a one-bedroom unit in an assisted living facility runs about $3,628 per month, according to LongTermCare.gov.
Remodeling your own space will vary in cost depending upon your specific needs and the bones of your home. Needless to say, it will cost far less than a year of paying for an assisted living facility. In addition, your remodel will add value to your home when you do decide to sell.
Remodeling Ideas
You might be curious about what types of remodeling your home will need. Really, it depends on the layout and age of your current home. Here are some remodeling ideas to get you thinking:
- Switching out faucets for levers. Levers are easier to open if your hands are sore from arthritis or you lack muscle strength.
- Bathroom remodels: Installing more handrails and non-slip shower or tub surfaces can help make your bathroom more accessible and prevent falls in the future.
- Wider doorways: If you need a wheelchair or walker in the future, remodeling your doorways now makes sense. The standard doorway width per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is at least 32 inches.
- Widen hallways: Hallways should be at least 36 inches to allow a walker or wheelchair to fit. As you can imagine, this could be a costly update depending on the structure of your home.
- Adding handrails or stair lifts: These accessibility options can help you get upstairs when you’re older and add some additional mobility support.
- Installing a ramp: You can install a permanent ramp to allow wheelchair or walker access to your home.
Contact us to brainstorm potential “aging in place” remodeling projects for your home with our Aging in Place Specialist, Stefan Carlson! Stefan is certified by the National Home Builders Association (NHBA) to evaluate your home from an “aging in place” perspective. We’d love to be the Lincoln home remodeling team on your project!
Please check out our post on 5 Tips to Prevent Falls in the Home for even more information on safely “aging in place”.
