The Moultrie News
 
Home | News | Education | Police Blotter | Sports | Travel | Celebrations | Classifieds | Health | Weather | Opinion | Print Edition | Photos | Video | Family | AP News
 
 
  Health
  
  
  
 Printer friendly version |  E-mail to a friend |
Bookmark and Share
  
Home renovations can keep aging adults at home
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
By By Pete Loy ~ Certified Aging in Place Specialist

Provided
In 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 19 percent of men and 38 percent of women over the age of 65 lived alone. As an increasing percentage of the population lives longer and longer, senior citizens and their children have some significant decisions to make.  One of the most important is how long can these elder adults continue to live safely in their homes? In other words, how long can they age in place?

Monday marks the beginning of National Aging in Place week. Organized by the National Aging In Place Council, National Aging In Place Week, has two objectives.  

The first is to build coalitions between business professionals and mature homeowners who want to stay in their homes as long as possible.  The second is to share information on what seniors can do to successfully age in place.  

If you’re an aging homeowner and wish to stay in your familiar surroundings for as long as possible, National Aging in Place Week is a good time for you evaluate your home.  Walk inside and outside the home if you’re able or ask someone to do it for you.  As the home is being inspected, keep these questions in mind.

Are there numerous stairs you have to go up to the main entry of the house?  Is the exterior lighting inadequate?  Are you having troubles getting around inside the house and struggling to climb the stair to your bedroom? Do you struggle to get into the shower or get up from the commode?  Could your doorways accommodate a walker?  

If you answer yes to any of these questions, there are several upgrades you can make to your house to make it more accessible. You may want to consider adding railings throughout the house, installing a chair lift to your second floor or moving your bedroom to the first floor.  Other home improvements to think about are installing bench seating and grab bars in your shower, adjusting the commode height, widening doors to have room for walkers and/or wheelchairs, and improving lighting throughout the interior and exterior of the home.

Making the effort now to ensure that a home is conducive to an elder adult’s changing needs can help ensure the golden years are happy years of aging in place.

Pete Loy is the president of Citadel Enterprises, a design/build home remodeling company in Mount Pleasant.  The company provides remodeling, repair and design/build services with an emphasis on trust, service and neatness for the client.  Citadel Enterprises is a state registered Architectural firm.

                                                           

 
 

Notice about comments:

Moultrienews.com is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Moultrienews.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not Moultrienews.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.

Users can now build user-to-user connections, follow friends' recent posts, add an avatar that fits their personality, and more. If you have posted here before you'll need to sign up again, or if you've never posted before, start now by reading our terms and conditions, and then signing up below!



Full terms and conditions can be read here.

 
  

  
 
  Polls
What do people really think of having paid parking on Sullivan’s Island?
All for it, as long as residents get a sticker to put on their car to be exempt from it.
 
Why is this fair- I have been coming to the beach for years and I support your commercial district.
 
Sure, considering that the neighboring beaches, Folly and Isle of Palms, have paid parking. Sullivan’s can certainly use the revenue for the many projects they need completed, mainly installing the stormwater drainage.
 

What do you think of Sullivan's Island's new noise ordinance, restricting noise from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM?
Ridiculous -- what next, we will get fined to just walk in the commercial district?
 
All for it -- people cannot keep their windows open at night anymore because of the noise.
 
I am just going to go elsewhere to make some noise!
 

   Weather
 
 
 
Serving Mount Pleasant, Sullivan's Island, Isle of Palms and Daniel Island
The Moultrie News delivers 28,225 newspapers per week in the East Cooper area
© 2009 Evening Post Publishing