Home improvements for later in life

This is a collaborative post

As you get older there are lots of changes that you can make to your home to adapt to your needs. It's also a good idea to think about whether there are some improvements that could be made to your house if you regularly host elderly visitors. 

Here are a few things that you could consider to help make your home safer and more convenient: 

Grab rails - This could be an extra bannister rail alongside the staircase or fitted rails around the house, for example in the bathroom, to help avoid slips and falls.

A walk in bath or shower - For example a walk in shower means that you don't need to worry about climbing in and out of a bath. If  you still want to keep the bath you can look for options which have a side opening or a moulded seat which allows you to sit up.

Photo credit Hemant Kanojiya via Unsplash

Non slippery flooring - Make sure that all hard flooring has a non-slippery surface and that any rugs are secure in place.

A Stairlift - Having a stairlift fitted will make getting up and down the stairs much easier and might mean that you can stay in your own home for longer. You can browse some stairlifts and find advice on stairlift prices here.

The front entrance - If you have steps leading to your front door you could consider a ramp. Even if you don't use a wheelchair it will still make your home easier to access. Make sure that the area around the front door is well lit so that you can find your keys and easily get through the door. You might also want to think about having a video doorbell fitted so that you can screen visitors before opening the door, and answer the door from your phone if you are out of the house.

A key safe - There are of course security implications to consider, but if you have regular visitors like relatives or carers then it might make sense to give them the means to let themselves into the house. 

The garden - If you have a large garden which requires lots of maintenance you could think about replacing hedges with a simple fence, or removing border planting areas and grassing them over to save on weeding. You could also consider making the garden all one level to avoid slippery outside steps. If you have wooden decking then make sure that it is regularly cleaned and maintained so that it doesn't become hazardous to walk on, and make sure to have any fallen leaves cleared away.