4 Tips on Designing an Elderly-Friendly Home

Joint families are still the norm in some countries. People often prefer to stay with their parents, and we think there is nothing wrong with that as we owe a lot to our parents. So, isn’t it our responsibility to ensure that we provide them with a safe space to live in? It does, and there are no doubts about that.

Building a home is an investment, so you need to ensure that all your money goes in the right direction. While we build our homes, we take care of hundreds of things, but what we sometimes miss are the needs and wants of our elders. We need to cater to them, as they have special needs when it comes to daily life. And if you are thinking that you might have to go a bit extra in making your home elderly friendly, you are definitely not thinking in the right direction. Just by tweaking your furniture and making some sensible architectural changes, you can pave the way to building an elderly-friendly home.

We have a good name in the interior design industry in Singapore, and so we think it is our responsibility to guide you throughout your home renovation journey. So here is a list of ways to design a home that is fit for your elders.

Mind the traffic flow

While renovating your house for the elderly, you need to make a note of how you arrange your furniture and other things. You need to take steps to rearrange your living room layout to make space for the seniors to move around without knocking over or bumping into furniture. In simple words, you need to pick a layout that is clutter-free and ensures a comfortable thoroughfare. You can even get yourself small pieces of furniture like a low ottoman or pouf, as they would come in handy when someone wants to put their feet up in a small area.

Pick your floor wisely

Flooring is something that you need to pick wisely while you adult-proof your house. This is because slips, trips, and falls are common things that an adult might encounter. As the body ages, it becomes more weak and fragile. Adults even lose the strength to balance themselves, which makes them prone to such occurrences. So, to deal with this issue, you need to opt for flooring that is not slippery. You need to avoid floors like polished ceramic, marble, and tile, as they are hazardous for an elderly person. If there are areas in your house that have marble flooring, you can mitigate the falls and slips by putting in more rugs and carpets in those areas. You also need to ensure that they stay firm on the ground so that tripping can be avoided.

Use good lights

Lighting can have a crucial impact on helping you make your house elderly friendly. By picking the perfect light type, you are making it easy for your elders to roam around the house both during the day and at night. for instance, you need to avoid using overhead lights as they are not bright enough to illuminate all corners of the room. You need to supplement your lighting with brighter options, as this will highlight details like sharp edges and eliminate shadows.

Install grab bars and benches in bathrooms

A bathroom is a very dangerous space especially for the elders. Injuries getting on and off the toilet are very prevalent amongst the adults aged above 60. For all such bunch of people, grab bars are a must have as they shall provide extra support to hold on while sitting down or getting up. They can also work as a towel rail.

So, above are easy ways to make your house elderly friendly. You definitely need to consider these and you definitely need to get in touch with us for the same, as we offer the best interior designing services in Singapore.

Previous Post

Greening Your Space: Interior Design Tips for an Energy Efficient Home

Next Post

A Complete Guide on Using Mirrors to Enhance your Home