Design Tips for Senior-Friendly Homes

Creating a tidy and clutter-free living space gives seniors the confidence to move around easily. By making a few tweaks to the layout and making some sensible architectural choices, seniors can easily modify the decor to incorporate safety and accessibility features. 

If you are planning to make your home senior-friendly, either for yourself or for your loved ones, here are some practical tips that you may find helpful: 

Mind the traffic flow: Rearrange the furniture in the living room as well as the rest of the house in such a way that there is enough space to walk around. To reduce the risk of seniors knocking over or bumping into objects, decorative items should not be placed on the pathways. 
Buy suitable furniture: Many seniors find it difficult to get up from low height furniture. Hence, avoid low floor seating. Buy furniture according to the body structure. For instance, furniture with deeper seats is an ideal option for seniors who are tall.  
Make sure the house is well-lit: All the rooms should have proper visibility. The entryways and pathways should be well-lit. All the dark corners should have lights. You can also install easily accessible bedside lamps that can come in handy at night.  
Choose the floor carefully: While selecting the floor for the house, make sure it is not slippery, is easy to walk on, and is easy to maintain. Select an option that provides the most cushioning if you or your loved one falls. For instance, cork flooring offers a cushioning effect and reduces the severity of an injury in case of a fall.
Install grab bars in bathrooms: Install a grab bar near the toilet seat, in the shower, and near the washbasin. Grab bar offers additional support to seniors while sitting down or getting up.  A word of caution: only use grab bars. Do not use towel rails as they are not meant to take the weight of a person.
Avoid loose rugs and carpets: While rugs and carpets add texture and colour to the room, they can be a tripping hazard. If you want to place rugs in your home, secure them to the floor or go for the ones with anti-slip rug underlays.

 
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Senior living in India: searching for a retirement home? 

Our senior living communities in India have been designed to accommodate the changing needs of seniors. The apartments have anti-skid tiles in the bathrooms and grab rails are strategically placed. There is a panic button in each dwelling to provide immediate assistance in case of an emergency. To know more about our retirement homes, call us at +91 8884555554.