Great Interior Design Ideas For Aging In Place You Need To Know About!
Great Interior Design Ideas For Aging In Place You Need To Know About!
Everyone gets older and so many people want their homes to work for them as they age in place! In this video I’m talking about some of the best ideas that are not only elderly and mobility friendly but will help design any home and life for the future! These are great interior design ideas you need to know!
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Thank you for making those with disabilities feel less invisible. I’m abled body, but I love it when I see people being inclusive.
My spouse was diagnosed with Alzeihmer and the cognitive decline is still discreet but very present. One of the problems he encounters is with the kitchen cabinets. He doesn’t always remember what’s behind the closed panels. I could put illustrations of the content but when the symptoms worsen, the decoding of the images also becomes more difficult. I’m not a fan of the kitchen shelf trend at all but I believe my taste will give way to practicality. I’m going to be removing all the cabinet panels shortly so he can see at a glance where things are.
Darling Dog Baby!
What a great video! Intuitive and insightful of you!
If you’re adding 36" doors and making things accessible, don’t forget to make sure your hallways and areas getting to those spaces are accessible. I once knew a family that built an accessible master suite but didn’t allow enough room in the hallway for easy wheelchair turning.
Many newer homes closet doorways very narrow!
I’d love to hear from someone who has a walk-in tub. It seems like you’d sit inside waiting for it to fill and you’d be shivering. Same for when it is emptying and you have to wait for it to be fully empty to open the door and get out.
I love my large shower with a hand-held, a bench and grab bars. I really appreciated it when I badly sprained my ankle.
One more comment: I have all lamps on bedside furniture plugged in to a special plug that plugs into an outlet. The lamp turns off and on with a small switch that rests on the nightstand surface. Now the lamp can be operated safely from bed. The switch can also be carried with you.
Perfect timing! I’m looking for a new home for my 71 year old arthritic mother. She can walk but stairs are really difficult for her.
Garrett, thank you for caring enough to provide this information. We who have these special needs are often forgotten. I am 71 years old and have recently taken to a wheelchair. By posting this, you have touched my heart. I have subscribed to your channel because it’s so interesting, even though my decorating style is forever frozen in what I call “Grandma Stuffed Chic.” I can tell a story about each tchotchke on display. Sending love to you and the bully boys and the baby. Oh, and one more thing: I love the way many of your shirts blend with your background. So chic!
My mom has a history of polio and has therapeutic shoes that she really can’t walk without then and her nightly bath is so important for her! She can’t safely get into or navigate a shower. She has a spa tub so she can sit on the ledge to undress and get her shoes off and then get into the tub 😊
I love our house so much . . . but it’s three stories, and we already have mobility issues. 😥The stairs are too narrow to put in one of those lift chairs, and there’s no way we can afford to add an elevator. I don’t know what we’re going to do when and if we get to the point we can’t use the stairs at all anymore.
Thanks for pointing out the width of the doorways. Years ago I took care of a woman in a wheelchair. She lived in an older house, not open floor concept with smaller doorways. And hallways. Her wheelchair barely fit through the doorways, only about 1/4” to 1/2” on each side. So the wheelchair had to be exactly straight to fit through. A source of great frustration to her. Her & her husband were planning a new home with accessibility and ease of use in mind.
Really appreciate this video, Garrett. I’m working on these issues with my parents now and it’s so helpful to have your suggestions.
Great video!!!
Thank you for addressing aging in place. I purchased my one level house a few years ago with that in mind. It had been renovated throughout and one great feature is that "comfort height" toilets are installed in all baths!
So considerate of you to do this video.
❤️❤️❤️
Great and important video, Garrett. THANK YOU for being the designer who speaks up for these issues. Becoming disabled from a work injury has really made me think about these things a lot earlier in my life than I probably would have, so some great tips here for me! And 100x YES to the level flooring suggestion! My dad broke his hip tripping over the edge of a carpet at home. Unfortunately he contracted pneumonia while in hospital for his hip replacement, and that’s how we lost him. 😢 We always think these are little things and that we’ll be fine, but safety absolutely matters. Also Cornelius was exceptionally adorable in this video!!! ❤❤❤
If you must have area rugs, you can just not install flooring where the area rug will go and recess the area rug down and maybe install it like carpeting so it will be level with the floor. Also, when designing areas such as a vanity for wheelchair use, it is important to wrap your pipes as some may not be able to feel them if they get hot. Another great option is to have your drain lines and Ptrap put closer to the back wall under the sink so they won’t block the legs of someone sitting.
Greatly appreciate this video, I work in a retirement community and some of the idea mentioned are already in place ,but the laundry accommodation is one that will definitely pass on to my team. Love you explanations ,rational and examples . Thank you so much for sharing your design tips with us ❤
Thank you for making this very helpful and thought provoking video. Great information!
Excellent video, Garrett! My close friend had ALS and had to address every point you made. 👏👏👏
As you say, share with a friend. I did. Her daughter is making a wheelchair friendly living area. And she watched it with her daughter and they are changing the flooring they were planning and putting in floors per your suggestions. So thank you. And as I age in space I appreciate your suggestions.
Thank you.
As far as walk-in bathtubs go. Only ever get the ones with outward swinging doors – they are more expensive but…. There have been many cases of people slipping into the foot well of a walk in bathtub and not being able to get up. If the door opens inwards, the person is blocking the door from opening and the person must then be lifted up and over the high side of the bathtub. This is something that most spouses can not do. Usually an ambulance needs to be called and it takes two paramedics to lift the person out of the tub, while waiting the person is naked, wet, cold, and humiliated if conscious.
When do these issues become important? Both of my parents walked without a walker until their mid 80s. They were in assisted living by then with a a little dementia. Before then they were climbing the stairs to their 2nd floor apartment. Most apartment buildings in Germany don’t have elevators. I just don’t feel like I’ll be in bad shape for at least another 20 years or so. I’m 58 now.
Great topic Garrett
Thank you so much for this video you hit on all the issues for people with disabilities and people aging in place. I can’t tell you how many times I tell friends who are remodeling their bathroom to install grab bars ( they make beautiful ones) but the push back is always I don’t need them but at some point you will. Excellent advice. Love the bulldogs and of course Albert❤️
We are remodeling our primary bathroom in about a year and aging in place is a consideration. We looked at walk in tubs but decided to have a sauna built in instead of a tub. Should be easier to get in and out of than a tub and there have been a lot of updates to them since we last looked into it. We are also going to have the smooth entry shower like you talked about. Maybe some grab bars added for the toilet and shower. We don’t need the bars yet so maybe just make sure the walls are reinforced while the build out is being done so we can easily add grab bars later. I just got that tip from reading the comments here! Great video!
Awwwww! Cornelius is so gorgeous and such a good boy. I’m pleased you’ve done this video for ageing or disabled people. I have fibromyalgia and, although I’m not yet so bad I need to consider many of these ideas, it’s very good reference for if and when I need them. Stairs are sometimes a problem but thankfully I manage…….for now.
Thank you, Garrett and Cornelius. 🐾🐾🐾🐾
We are building the home we are retiring to. I have been thinking about cleaning too. We put soffits over the cabinets in the kitchen, flat side toilets, levered door handles and an elevator! Yes, an elevator to our basement so we can still get down there when the stairs make it difficult! 😊
This is a great video and very necessary. While people hear the term aging in place, the specifics are often overlooked. I am a nurse and when my husband and I sold our house after our kids were in college, we moved to a condo. I looked at wheel chair accessibility, which is good. We planned to be able to function on one level. All our floors are hardwood over concrete. One thing, if you have area rugs and you have mobility issues/ falling risks is either to remove the rug or secure it to the floor with tape (I know, the floor underneath. But if you are unwilling to just remove the rug…). We could not have a truly threshold free shower, however, we remodeled our primary bathroom and installed a small ramp (you can’t see it) under our tile. It makes our shower function as threshold free. The door is wide enough for a wheel chair. No bathtub in this bathroom, the shower is for 2 people. The hand held is placed for someone in a wheel chair or shower seat to be able to reach. The control for that is close to the door and easily reachable. The toilet has ample room around it for a walker or to transfer to/from a wheel chair. Our space was such that kitchen design was very limited, but you bring up really great points. I have a second bathroom that I will be updating. I intend to make the sink area accessible for wheel chair. Width of doorways is a key issue. You can find some guidelines online. Again, thanks for this very overlooked aspect of design.
I know it’s one of those things you are not supposed to do, but we carpeted the bathroom. The toilet is in a separate tiled space and we ventilate the room well to keep the carpet dry.
I know it will be a negative selling point someday, but right now it has worked well.
Thanks for taking the time to make this video, and for raising the issue of accessability .As you point out, many of these ideas work in a multitude of situations, as well as for aging in place. When my husband and I bought our house 20 years ago we tried to think ahead and plan for aging in our home. So glad we did! This video really does a great job of discussing considerations and offering information and solutions.
I need 42 inch counter height in the kitchen. Otherwise I’ll be disabled from back pain
The things we have done for our animals! We eliminated any house that had a straight run staircase. It has to have a landing part way down. Too many of our dogs got older and that straight run became too dangerous.
I just love the contractor that thinks the only doors that need to be 36" wide are the exterior doors. I guarantee you I have never become skinny once I cross the front door threshold. Getting an adult and a sick kid through a 24" door to the toilet….. Couches barely fit through a 36. Not even going to mention the refrigerator.
Everything you discussed is right on!
I was at a home of a friend– she has her dishwasher raised like you suggested for the washer/dryer.
We recently remodeled. 3 ft pocket doors, low shower threshold, wider hallway, plenty of can lights in the ceiling, etc. We also had the electric outlets installed at hip/waist height- I don’t want to bend over to plug things in when I’m 85.
Love this. I’m a physical therapist who does Home Safety Evaluations (HSE) as part of my job with patients. Paying attention to this type of design is so so important! It can keep a person living independently in their home longer than they otherwise would. Thanks for bringing attention to it time and time again!
You’re the best! This is so necessary. Thank you!❤
You did a great job in this video Garrett (as usual)! I think I was one of the people that commented about the ADA applying to public spaces, but you are right, the ADA accessibility guidelines are extremely useful in addressing access problems in private spaces. I mentioned the public/private issue exactly because of a point you made very well in this video. People come in all shapes and sizes and disabilities affect function in all different ways. In a private residence the person can customize things like counter heights and grab bar placements to meet their specific needs, but public spaces are legally obligated to accommodate people with a greater range of needs so the ADA guidelines reflect that. Kudos to you for talking about this important topic!
This was great! Just beginning my retirement & bought an older home– your content got me thinking as I want to make some interior improvements.
Hi, Garrett,
Terrific video. I would add that any bathroom/shower door should be able to swing both ways, in the event the person in the bathroom/shower falls and blocks the door. Multiple, sturdy hand rails at the proper height/angle are essential. I would also recommend an intercom system throughout the home, to alert others in the event of an emergency. A friend of mine recently fell in a basement shower but could not alert her spouse on another floor due to his hearing deficit. The victim sustained a broken femur and later died of an infection.
Some communities now require that home exterior lighting be equipped to alert emergency services via a strobe effect light/or direct connect to fire dept. You are correct about front loading washer/dryers needing secure plinths to make their height more accessible for elderly/disabled. Sink pipes should also be wrapped to prevent burns for those in wheelchairs. Automatic lighting on staircases is also helpful, at a level sufficiently bright for those with sight issues. Exterior stairs may need lower risers and dual handrails, and matte surfaces are generally better than those that are highly reflective. Your comment re: widened doorways/walkways is very valuable, as is the need for sturdy furniture which will not tip over, should someone use it to steady themselves. Electrical outlets should be raised to accessible heights, and French door ovens should become standard! You are exceedingly well versed in these areas, as you demonstrate in all your videos. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for nother practical, honest, understanding video.
Thank you so much for this video!
I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 11 years ago at age 49. I am doing really well. When we bought our house 7 years ago we wanted an elevator, or the space for one. This home has an elevator shaft ready to be built out. When we re did our bath we did a zero entry shower ( with a door- I’m so glad I saw a video you did about bathrooms). I have slipped on my wood stairs…time to invest a runner . Thank you for these kinds of videos.
Hi Garrett- Long term follower and I cannot thank you enough for this video. I know from personal experience that even younger people can need to think about accessibility in their home, as I was left with mobility issues after a serious accident in 2018. I love that you talk about practical design issues and not just the trends. The couple of steps can be a big issue. It’s hard to find homes in this part of the country that don’t have at least a couple of steps at the entry due to the basements. I 100% agree on showers without a door, especially in the winter. Brrr.
Thank you so much for not only taking time to focus on accessibility, but to do it with thought that accessible for one person doesn’t mean it is appropriate for everyone needing accessibility. That is really an important perspective and one that so many designers and trades do not understand (yet!). 🎉🎉🎉
We went through some of this with my dad. We had to take the door off his bathroom and it was still difficult to get his walker through the door, but there was no way to widen it. After he fell, we had a bath fitter company who knew all the ADA requirements to replace the shower. We also took all the rugs out.
Another good idea is to replace doorknobs with levers. I have arthritis in my hands and have trouble with doorknobs and I’m not even that old yet. I replaced them all with lever handles.
Very good ideas. I am two years out from a stroke and the slightest from one room to another could cause me major anxiety. It might something a half of an inch differernce but it would give me the sense I might fall. I have carpet in a bedroom closet and will be having that removed because I need a firm feel beneath me when I am using my walker. People might might think I am being over cautious but all I can say is it is better to lean on the side of caution and remain in your home. I am 64.