For most older people living alone, safety and mobility become primary concerns. Seniors living alone are at risk of injuries from trips and falls. For a long time, the only choice for the elderly was to move from their homes to retirement facilities, but now more and more seniors are choosing to age in place. They prefer to carry on living in their familiar homes and communities. Home renovations like wheelchair ramps, chair lifts and handrails can make the environment as safe as possible. Having these renovations done by professional contractors will ensure that they are safely installed, and meet all wheelchair ramp specifications.

Aging in place is a new option for seniors
For a number of reasons, seniors are choosing to age in place, remaining in their own homes rather than moving to a retirement facility. Most people would prefer to remain in their familiar homes and communities to a place where they don?t know anyone. The wider availability of home accessibility products like stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, bathroom safety, and vehicle lifts have made it easier for seniors to remain in their homes.
Another factor in choosing to stay at home is that in general, the costs of care at home are lower than in an institutional facility. For their communities and neighbors too, it is important to benefit from their experience and insight. Planners are now concerned to design multigenerational communities that can accommodate the varying needs of seniors, young people and families with children.

Home safety and accessibility
There are some safety and accessibility concerns that must be addressed for seniors living at home. Slips, trips and falls can cause serious injuries, and these occur very frequently. Around the country, an older adult is being treated for a fall in the emergency room every 11 seconds. Most homes are designed with families with children in mind, and don?t account for the needs of the elderly. That might be one reason why more than half of all falls suffered by seniors happen within the home.
A few simple renovations can improve home safety for seniors. Handrails can prevent bathroom falls. In fact, installing bathroom grab bars is the top aging-in-place project completed by home service professionals. As many as 71% of those surveyed by the HomeAdvisor 2016 Aging in Place Report reported that they had been asked to install grab bars, and 54% had added entryway wheelchair ramps.

Indoor and outdoor mobility
Features like stair lifts, door openers and wheelchair ramps can give seniors greater indoor and outdoor mobility. Wheelchair ramps and outdoor mobility devices give them access to outdoor activities like gardening and outings for shopping, meeting friends and concerts.
For both indoor and outdoor renovations, it?s best to have the installation done by professionals whom have experience in the area. Improperly installed chair lifts can be dangerous, and wheelchair ramps must be sturdy and durable. Wheelchair ramp specifications will depend on the types of mobility devices used, such as wheelchairs and scooters.

For many seniors, aging in place is a better option than moving to a retirement home. Simple home renovations like safety rails and grab bars can prevent falls and injuries. Indoor and outdoor mobility and accessibility features can help them to move around safely. Installations are best done by professionals, who are familiar with chair lifts and wheelchair ramp specifications, to ensure that these function properly and safely.
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