According to the latest statistics, senior citizens in the UK are the country’s fastest-growing population, beating the growth of the general population at a rate of 15.1% to 9.7%.
While this is excellent news for us all, it also brings several challenges. One of these challenges is housing. There are currently very few houses suitable for older adults in the UK. Thankfully, creating homes for senior citizens isn’t as challenging as it sounds. If you want to make your home suitable for when you’re older or for the elderly people in your life, here are some of the things you need to consider:
1. Bathroom Equipment
As we get older, our mobility starts to deteriorate. This can make things like going to the bathroom extremely difficult. Thankfully, we can do many things to make these tasks more manageable. For example, we can purchase a walk-in bath to make getting in and out of the bath much more straightforward.
While you may be worried that these items can look old-fashioned and ugly, this is no longer the case. There’s now a vast selection of mobility bathroom supplies that are both stunning and practical.
2. The Kitchen Layout
For most older adults, locating the fridge, freezer, cooker and sink close together is essential. Doing so will reduce the amount of walking an older person must do to cook a meal.
As well as placing these items close together, it’s also a good idea to think about placing some seating in the kitchen area so that elderly individuals can take a rest when they need to.
3. The Position of Plug Sockets
If you’ve ever suffered from a bad back, you will know how hard it can be to bend down and plug something into a low socket. Most older people also find this difficult, as their mobility is reduced. Consider hiring plug sockets to tabletop height to make turning on and plugging in electrical items easier. While this might not look as nice, it is much more convenient for elderly individuals.
4. Lighting
Another thing that starts to deteriorate as we get older is our eyesight. Thanks to this, it’s essential to install good quality lighting in homes for the elderly. As well as helping elderly people to see, good lighting can also help make a home safe and secure. However, be careful when choosing lighting, as bright or glaring lights could also cause accidents to occur.
5. Fire Safety
Many elderly people struggle to hear a fire alarm when it sounds. This can put them at an increased risk of injury or even death. To overcome this issue, consider installing smoke detectors with strobe lights. This will help people with hearing problems know when a fire occurs.
6. Think About Flooring
While tiled floors look great in a home, they can quickly become slippy if water is spilled on them. This can lead to accidents occurring in the home. To try and prevent an elderly adult from falling, you must carefully consider the type of flooring you use within the home. Carpets are thought to be much safer than tiles or wooden floors.
Getting older is a gift that is denied to many people. However, while living to old age is great, getting older has its issues. One issue that many elderly people face is mobility. They can no longer do what they used to, such as getting in and out of the bath. Thankfully, we can do some simple things to make these tasks much more manageable, such as creating accessible bathrooms and using non-slip flooring in our homes.