Bathroom Remodeling for Every Budget for Seniors

If you have a senior you care for who’s still using a bathroom designed for the person who never ages, it’s time to remodel for safety so they can live a long, happy life at home.  Whether your budget is tight, moderate or generous, you can make some worthwhile improvements.

Bathroom Modifications on a Tight Budget

If your budget is constrained, you want to convert the existing toilet, bath and shower so they’re easier and safer to use, while adding safety accessories where necessary.

Four Practical and Fun Holiday Gifts for Seniors

The season of gift giving has arrived.  And if you have seniors in your life, you’re likely in a bit of a quandary.  After all, over the years they’ve accumulated all the goodies they need--and more!  They’re now in downsizing mode and, hopefully, de-cluttering their home.  So why would you want to buy them more stuff?

It’s time to think practically and to give gifts that will help to keep your Mom, Dad, favorite Aunt, or that special person you care for, safe and make life a little easier.  Here are four suggestions.

The Wheelchair-Friendly Bathroom

Most bathrooms were designed for people who are comfortably moving around on two feet.  But that’s changing.  In 1990 the American Disabilities Act (ADA) developed guidelines to accommodate physically challenged people in public facilities and businesses.  As more and more people decide to live out their lives at home, ADA bathroom rules are spilling over into residential design.

If you’re caring for someone who uses a wheelchair or you use a wheelchair yourself, keep these guidelines in mind when remodeling the bathroom.

Three Bathtub Replacements for Senior Safety

My goal is to modify bathrooms to make them safe and accessible for seniors.  So I love to see a spacious bathroom with a 60”x 60” turning radius for a senior who is, or may one day be, moving around in a wheel chair.  But most bathrooms are just not big enough.

I’ve noticed, however, that there’s usually a bath, about 60” x 30,” that seniors no longer use.  They’re legitimately scared to climb over the edge to get in and out of it, knowing that one misstep can lead to a life-changing fall. Seniors want to know what they can do with that space to make it usable.

Here are three practical ideas for bathtub replacements.
  
1. The Walk-In-Bathtub

Some walk-in bathtubs fit into the same 30” x 60” footprint squandered by the obsolete bathtub.  There are also narrower, shorter models, 28” x 48”, which use a panel to fill in the gap, keeping remodeling costs to a minimum.   Not only does the walk-in bath tub provide a warm, relaxing, and luxurious in-home-spa experience, it’s also safe, accessible, therapeutic, and health-promoting.

Grab Bars: The Unsung Heroes

Grab bars. Do the words conjure up and image of cold, stainless steel bars braced on the walls of public bathrooms with a large handicapped sign adorning the door?

Is this what gives them a bad image?  Is this why seniors who just need a little help to remain safely in their bathrooms fail to install them?

Probably.  Who wants something ugly in their bathroom that shouts ‘handicapped’?  Vanity triumphs over safety.  Here’s why and where seniors need grab bars, and how you can make them fit into the bathroom decor.

The Universal Appeal of a Bathroom for All Ages

What’s an ideal bathroom for a senior or someone who’s not as mobile as they once were?  It’s one that you can enjoy before you “need” it.  You won’t have to remodel in your sunset years if you prepare ahead of time.  Bonus: you can enjoy your investment right now.
 
Many boomers in their 50s and 60s are thinking ahead. When they remodel, they make sure their bathroom includes features they’ll appreciate over the long haul.  After all, they want to live out their lives in the familiar place called home.
 
What does this ideal bathroom for all time include?

How to Overcome Mobility Challenges in the Bathroom

To keep people in their homes as they age, it’s often necessary remodeling a bathroom to accommodate mobility issues. If you’re about to launch into a bathroom remodeling project, consider these tips:

1. What’s the Problem?
Evaluate the person who is having difficulty getting around.  If they’re in a wheel chair or their medical condition could lead to further deterioration that might land them in a wheel chair, there are additional considerations.

Bathroom and Kitchen Remodeling for Seniors with Alzheimer’s

According to the Alzheimer’s Association 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and almost all of them are over 65.  And nearly half of people who reach the grand age of 85 are battling the disease.  Alzheimer’s is the leading reason for placing elderly people in institutions such as nursing homes.  Since I am a proponent of living a long life at home, these sad statistics started me thinking about how to prepare for living life at home with Alzheimer’s.

So I decided to solicit the opinions of my trusted colleague, Pam Rakoczy. Pam has over a quarter century’s experience in occupational therapy and now runs Liberty In Home Care, a homecare company that enables hundreds of physically and cognitively-impaired people in Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties of Pennsylvania to remain safely in their homes.

George:  Much of our time is spent remodeling bathrooms so that seniors can age in place.  Do you have any specific recommendations for the bathroom?

Pam:  We always make sure there are grab bars in the shower and that you can walk straight in to it.  We look at the difficulty of getting in and out of the shower or in bathing itself  because when you get to the later stages of Alzheimer’s, the senior may have difficulty getting in and out of the shower because they lose their balance.

Maintaining Dignity in Seniors: Keeping Private Moments Private

As someone you love ages, it’s hard to watch them lose their dignity.  A friend of mine’s father suffered with Parkinson’s disease.  He was an extremely intelligent, witty man with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and a successful business career behind him.   

But as the rigidity that’s part of the Parkinson’s package set in, he found it difficult to button his clothes without help.  It took longer for him to eat every meal.  As his balance was compromised, he stumbled when he walked. Because he had difficulty swallowing, he dribbled.  And as his mind slowed, his wit went with it. 

In his last year he needed help to go to the bathroom, bathing and getting dressed. It broke my friend’s heart to watch the decline of this brilliant man, and to watch his dignity erode day by day.