Whether you’re looking ahead to your future and wanting to make sure you can comfortably and safely stay in the St. Louis home you love, or you’re accommodating an older family member sharing your home with you, there are many reasons homeowners may look for solutions to make their home more age-friendly. While aging can certainly bring about some new challenges, there are often great solutions homeowners can put in place to make their homes work for them. Here are a few ideas:

Enter With Ease

Getting in and out of your home safely is a top priority, so looking at your entryway is a smart place to start. Do you have a path that’s stable to walk on, or are there broken stones that need to be repaired? What is your plan for removing snow from your path? Is it well lit in the evenings? If there are steps going up to your front door, is the railing secure? With a bit of TLC, homeowners can get their entryways in tip-top shape.

Give Your Lighting a Boost

Eyesight often diminishes as we age, and simply looking around at places that could use a bit more light can help homeowners avoid frustration down the line. Whether it’s switching to brighter bulbs, adding more lamps, or installing additional lighting in staircases and hallways, ensuring you have enough light to see comfortably can make your home more age-friendly. Even setting up some automatic lights, either a motion sensor or on a timer, can be a great option for many homeowners.

Slip-Proof Your Surfaces

This is an especially important tip in the bathroom. Showers and tile floors can get quite slippery, and there’s no need to take the risk of falling. Rubber mats or grippy strips on the floor of your tub can instantly improve your shower safety. And ensuring you have a towel or rug to use when you have damp feet can eliminate a lot of the potential for a slip.

Get Clear About Maintenance

Planning out your yearly maintenance in advance is a wise plan for any homeowners. Especially if you’re thinking about homeowners who are aging in their St. Louis homes, some of these maintenance tasks might get a bit challenging. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to relocate though. As I mentioned above, snow removal is one important area to consider, but there are countless tasks that homeowners need to do to keep their homes safe and in good shape. From cleaning the gutters to maintaining their yards, it’s important to consider which tasks can be done on your own and which you might need assistance with.

Modify For Your Needs in Advance When Possible

Not all homeowners plan for aging in advance. And this can mean our home isn’t ready when we realize we need it to be. Looking ahead to potential needs and challenges that might arise can give you the time to plan for them without the stress of needing them to be solved right now. Thinking about what your options are, even if you don’t take action yet, can really give you a head-start.

Are you or someone you know thinking about how to make your home more age-friendly? While we might not talk about plans for aging every day, it’s an important one to consider if you’re committed to staying in the home you love. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!