Future-Proof Your Homes With These Design Tips for Aging-in-Place
With more and more American seeking aging-in-place design styles, many are making renovations to their current home, finding a home with accessible features in a new-home community or building a new home. Baby boomers are the top generation on the lookout for these homes having watched their parents often turn to assisted living communities.
According to People Newspaper, the term “accessible design” encompasses homes designed for a variety of people with disabilities, but for this article, I’ll focus on wheelchair accessibility.
Many of these design features can make the home more convenient for any homeowner, which is why some people refer to accessible design as “universal design.”
To be wheelchair-accessible, a home must have a wider doorway (preferably 36 inches) and a zero-step entrance. There should be no level changes in the house, not even a threshold for a door. Since wheelchairs require a turning radius of 60-by-60 inches, open floor plans are a sensible choice.