Most older adults would like to live independently for as long as possible. The American Association of Retired Persons and the National Conference of State Legislatures reported that this is the case for 90% of Americans over 65 years of age. In order to accomplish this goal, many homeowners are modifying their houses accordingly.

When planning to age in-place, one of the first rooms that people often choose to renovate is their bathrooms. The HomeAdvisor’s 2016 Aging in Place Report found that 48% of the homeowners over 55 years of age were thinking about modifying this room first. One of the primary reasons for this is that slip and fall injuries are a common occurrence when climbing in and out of the shower or bathtub or when engaged in other activities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that almost 235,000 individuals sustain injuries every year due to situations that arise in the bathroom.

According to the HomeAdvisor’s 2016 Aging in Place Report, many homeowners are hiring service professionals to complete a variety of modification projects. The two most common projects that have been requested are grab bar and wheelchair ramp installations. Other types of projects may have included installing outdoor stair lifts and other leading-edge technology.

The results of a recent study showed that one of the most common disabilities in the United States is limited mobility. In order to provide themselves with increased mobility, roughly 6.8 million Americans use some type of assistive device. There are a variety of devices available such as scooters, walkers, and wheelchairs. Other helpful assistive devices include electric scooter lifts. These vertical lifts can be installed both inside and outside of a person’s home. Electric scooter lifts for cars and vans also provide increased mobility.

Since you’d like to remain in your own home for as long as possible, there’s a good chance that you would like to make some modifications to your house. Even if you don’t feel that you need these modifications at the present time, anticipating a need can assist you with being prepared. Something as simple as adding grab bars in the bathroom or alongside indoor or outdoor steps can make a difference. If you’re not sure what type of modifications to make, an experienced home service professional will be able to provide you with recommendations.

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