A comfortable care-free retirement can often stem from being in a comfortable low-maintenance home. If you are looking ahead to where you want to be and how you want to live, you need to consider a number of options.
Ask yourself whether it’s time to sell the home on the large block with high maintenance gardens to enjoy the luxury lifestyle of a flat or apartment.
Maybe you are looking ahead to a comfortable retirement in your existing home. If so, start you early planning to make a few key adaptations to make it easier and safer to carry out activities such as bathing, cooking and climbing stairs.
The following checklist is a good guide to how you can address any potential problem areas
- Difficulty getting in and out of the shower
- Slipping in the tub or shower
- Difficulty turning faucet handles and doorknobs
- Access to home
- Inadequate heating or ventilation
- Difficulty climbing stairs
Possible solutions
- Install grab bars, shower seals or transfer benches
- Place non-skid strips or decals in the tub or shower
- Replace faucet handles with level handles
- Install ramps to doors
- Install insulation, double-glazing, air conditioning and good quality curtains
- Install handrails for support
While you’re at it, consider these tips for adapting your home to changing needs
- Remove unnecessary throw rugs and fasten down rugs or floor runners to prevent slipping
- Move furniture to create clear walking paths
- Keep objects off the floor and coil or secure cords to the wall to prevent tripping