The Essential Investments When Renovating Your House For Retirement

Keeping one eye on the future is a concern that we have at any age. Before you know it, we’ve given up work and we are deep in Retirement City. Financially speaking, everyone has anxieties about if they have enough money to support themselves. And now, with so many people working past retirement age, not because they want to, but out of necessity, means that struggling to earn a pretty penny to enjoy your twilight years is a common reality for a lot of us. Getting retirement money together isn’t just for cruises and golfing vacations, but it’s important to ensure that your place of living is suitable when you are too old and infirm. Think about it, if you own your home, have you got all the safety provisions in place? If not, it’s worth thinking about a few things. In addition to this, you need to consider what you really want from your ideal retirement living space. Here are a few suggestions…

Curb Free Showers

As is the cliché of old age, one day you can get out of the bath absolutely fine, the next you are grunting and groaning because you’ve put your back out. Curb free showers are a smart move, as these showers tend to have glass doors that go right down to the floor, rather than having a lip that you can easily trip over. The great thing about these types of showers is that they are very sleek and look like an excellent addition to your home.

Wide Doorways

As we get older, we might have to rely on a wheelchair, which can cause significant problems getting in and out of the front door. Wide doorways are a godsend, regardless of your age, but just to make sure they are at least 32 inches wide. It’s going to help you carry heavy shopping through the door without issue, and if you ever need to rely on a wheelchair when you’re older, this will make life far easier.

A Reduction In Stairs

One of the natural renovations people make, especially if they live in a two-storey house, is to reduce the use of the stairs. This isn’t always practical, but stair lifts are beneficial in this respect. But, this is why so many older couples move to a bungalow or one-storey house. If you are adamant that the stairs stay, and you stay in the property, then it’s vital for you to make it more practical. A stair lift is an obvious option, but it might be better for you to have all the essentials on the ground floor, including your bedroom. That way, you can use the upstairs for things that aren’t used from day to day, meaning that if you need to go up the stairs once in a while, it will be less of an arduous task. This can be a considerable cost, as well as something that takes quite a bit of time, renovation wise. This is why it’s important to think about these practicalities before retiring.

Safe Flooring

Safety is paramount, and when you think about minimizing slips, trips, and falls, which we are all prone to as we get older, we need to think about the safety of the flooring. It’s important not to install materials that can be slippery. But, now, the trendy materials include lino and laminate flooring, because they’re easier to clean up. It might be now that you should think about reinstalling carpets, and while this can be a double-edged sword, because carpets trap allergens and aren’t as easy to clean up, they aren’t as slippery as the vast majority of materials out there. That’s not to say you shouldn’t have an ugly looking carpet, but this will cost a little bit more. When you compare it to the polished concrete floor cost, carpet does give you better bang for your buck, but concrete floor looks more stylish. It’s up to you to make the decision, in terms of practicality and safety. If you are not keen on the idea of installing carpet, then it’s vital you put more safety precautions in place to aid you.

A Deck

It’s not just about the safety of the home, but you want to live in a place that you can feel truly relaxed. Even if you don’t see much nice weather where you live, a deck, either at the garden or out the front of your property, is a lovely addition. It gives you somewhere to sit and relax, and watch life go by. Decking is a great addition to any garden as it increases the value of the property, but it’s also an excellent way to bring the family together in the summer. Not forgetting the fact that, when we do get older, we can feel like we put out to pasture somewhat, installing decking, or a place for social functions in the garden, such as barbecues, is a simple, yet effective approach to making your home more livable.

Counters With Various Heights

As the onset of age increases, so does your ability to do more things for yourself. In the kitchen, that sense of independence can feel ripped away from you when you are unable to make a meal. Installing counters of various heights that means you can prepare food stood up or sat down is a great way to ensure you are taking control of your meal preparations.

Your home, more than anything, needs to be your priority when preparing for retirement. Because a lot of us think that retirement is all about wallowing in our own pity, or just biding our time until we get carted off to a care home, means that we need to make some changes to encourage our independence for as long as possible. We can do this in our own home. And all it requires is a few simple changes, practicalities are the overriding ideas when renovating your home ready for retirement, but you don’t want to make your home feel like it’s Fort Knox. Instead, as well as ensuring you can maneuver in your home; make it a place that you really want to stay in.