The idea of “aging in place,” or staying in your current home as you age, has become a popular trend among Baby Boomers and their elderly parents. While staying in your home has many benefits compared to alternative assisted living situations, preparing your home for a long life of enjoyment requires some adjustments; most notably, some changes to your existing bathroom(s).
Luckily, the pros at Luxury Bath make it quick, easy and affordable to modify your existing bathroom with all the convenience and safety features you’ll need, even many years down the line. So what do you need, exactly? With the help of a CAPS certified remodeling specialist, you can get a complete home assessment to help you determine the specific accessibility needs that you have.
If you’d like to get started right away, there are many standard bathroom modifications that can help make any bathroom safer, more convenience and easy-to-use, no matter what your age or ability! Some great first steps include, but are not limited to:
- Installing Grab Bars: Grab bars, or safety bars, are a quick and easy way to increase the safety of all the areas of your bathroom. Install them in the shower and any wet areas to give your loved ones the support and stability they need.
- Walk-In Tubs and/or Tub Seat: Slippery showers and high-threshold tubs can pose problems for the elderly or those with physical limitations. When you install a walk-in tub and/or tub seat, you get all the luxury of a tub, but with easier access and more safety features. Simply step in, sit down and relax!
- Improved Lighting Options: Increasing the amount of light in your bathroom can be an important aspect of an aging in place bathroom remodel, and you may also want to replace standard light switches with rocker-style switches.
- Handicap-Accessible Vanity: If you or your loved ones use a wheelchair, or may use one in the future, remodeling with a lower vanity and easy-to-pull, lever-style door handles can help make using the bathroom easy and comfortable for everyone.
- Doorway Widening: Even if you don’t require a wheelchair currently, expanding the width of your door frames is important so that if you have wheelchair accessible doors if/when you do need them.
- Flooring Changes: Flooring is an important consideration, due to the risk of falls. Ceramic tiles can be quite dangerous, so consider replacing any ceramic tile with hardwood floors or vinyl.
With a few cosmetic changes and adjustments, you can make any bathroom safe, easy-to-use and accommodating for a long life of bathing independence! For even more tips and ideas, contact your local Luxury Bath dealer today! You can also speak to one of our knowledgeable representatives to schedule your free consultation and in-home design meeting!