By Jana Ward
"Accessibility" is the new keyword for home buyers and
owners who are approaching retirement and who intend to continue
living in their new or existing residence as long as possible.
Rather than allow physical limitations to threaten their quality of
life, such people are custom building or retrofitting their homes
now to ensure ease of use later.
Indeed, special additions can go a long way toward
preserving one’s ability to live independently in the golden years,
whether physical impairments are great or small. For example,
replacing regular doorknobs with latches and regular locks with
keyless entry systems can help those with arthritic hands, while
creating a master bedroom on the first floor can avoid dangerous
situations for people who have difficulty climbing stairs.
When envisioning an accessible home for seniors,
several obvious modifications come to mind, including grab bars in
the bathroom, wide doorways that accommodate wheelchairs, and ramps
in place of stairs. But other important features are easy to
overlook, including the provision of ample space in the kitchen and
bathroom for easy wheelchair access. The following is a fairly
comprehensive list of obvious and not-so-obvious features to
consider when outfitting a home for long-term
accessibility:
Overall Home
Design
·
First-floor master
bedroom and bath
·
Single-story, "open"
floor plan
·
Secured, low-pile
carpeting
·
Higher-than-standard
wall receptacles
·
Lower-than-standard
light switches and thermostats
·
Sound-activated
lights
·
Security system
·
Broad rear deck
(accessible outside area)
·
Sliding or automatic
windows and doors
·
Wide
doorways
·
Levers in place of
doorknobs
·
Low
closet rods
·
Rocker or push-button
light switches
·
Chair lift or elevator
where applicable
·
Smoke alarms with
flashing lights
·
Handrails along stairs
and hallways
Entryway
·
Paved, level driveway
·
Paved, level path to
door
·
Secured carpet, if any,
at door
·
Well-lit, covered &
spacious entryway
·
"Lever" doorknob
·
Set-down shelf outside
door
·
Keyless locks
·
Lower peephole in front
door
Kitchen
·
Appliances with
front-mounted knobs
·
Overhanging sink for
wheelchair access
·
Low
shelving with swing-out doors/roll-out trays
·
Low
counter space with w/c access
·
Under-counter or
side-by-side refrigerator
·
Room
for refrigerator door to swing wide
·
Space to maneuver
wheelchair
Bathroom
·
Low
medicine cabinet
·
Raised toilet with grab
bars
·
Grab
bars in shower and tub
·
Walk-in or roll-in
shower
·
Roll-under
sink
·
Built-in shower
seat
·
Wide
doorway
·
Hand-held shower
head
·
Non-skid strips: bath
& shower
·
Space to maneuver
wheelchair
If you are thinking about ways to make your home more
livable as you grow older, or if you’ve just realized that some of
these features would be the perfect Christmas gift for a loved one,
call the Greater San Antonio Builders Association at 696-3800 for a
free Remodelors Council Directory and copy of the brochure “How to
Choose a Remodelor.”
