Caring for loved ones at home is a great way to keep them integrated into the family’s daily life. However, it can also pose a significant challenge for both caregivers and the aging parent(s) themselves.
One of the biggest issues faced by aging parents is how to safely navigate at home as they begin to lose the physical or cognitive abilities that they once had.
For parents getting older, even tasks as simple as stepping over a threshold, climbing the front step, or getting over the lip of the bathtub can pose severe risks or become impossible.
Here are some useful home modifications for parents aging in place in Northern Virginia so that you can keep your loved ones safe.
Understanding the Needs of Aging Parents
In order to make smart decisions about which accessibility tools your household will need, you must first understand age-related challenges and mobility issues and how they impact your parents. One of the most frequent issues facing older folks is arthritis.
This inflammation of the joints can make it difficult or even impossible to bend or stretch in certain ways and is one of the primary reasons why lifting the leg high enough to go up steps or get into the tub becomes an issue.
Additionally, many seniors see a reduction in reaction times and fine motor skills, which are mediated by fast-twitch muscles. As nerve fibers gradually age, they are not as conductive as they once were, resulting in longer, slower reactions.
This can leave your loved one unable to respond fast enough if they trip or slip, and they may no longer be able to use tools such as spoons that they could before.
By providing specialized tools to assist with activities of daily living, you can improve the quality of life of your aging parent.
Essential Home Modifications for Aging Parents
Three primary areas offer the greatest benefits when modified to suit aging parents. They are:
- House-wide accessibility upgrades — These modifications include ramps and stairlifts to improve mobility and ensure your family member can access the home safely. Such upgrades may also be necessary to allow your parents to enter certain rooms, as bathrooms or bedrooms may sit up one or two stairs depending on the home layout, or the home may have multiple stories.
- Bathroom modifications — Grab bars and walk-in showers are just two options for safety and convenience. Because falls occurring in the bathroom are twice as likely to result in serious injury than anywhere else in the house, accessibility tools in this area are essential.
- Kitchen adaptations — Your parents should still be able to cook and feed themselves whenever safely possible, and changes to the kitchen can accommodate limited mobility and promote independence. From trolleys to adaptive utensils, the options are nearly unlimited.
Smart Home Technology for Aging in Place
Technology has made staying at home more possible for aging adults than ever before. Smart locks can keep your loved one safe from entering spaces that are a risk for them — including outdoors — if they are prone to wandering.
Adaptive lights can turn on as soon as your parent enters the room, preventing them from wandering in darkness to find the light switch. With assistants such as Alexa and Siri, your family member can receive important reminders or even call for help if necessary.
Financial Considerations and Resources
Paying for accessibility options is one of the biggest hurdles in achieving a safer home. Numerous grants are available in addition to low-interest loans to fund these projects.
In northern Virginia, the Emergency Home and Accessibility Repair Program (EHARP) serves those below the area’s median income level by providing up to $4,000 for accessibility tools.
The Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) offers tax incentives for installing accessibility tools within the calendar year in which the credit is claimed, and the Commonwealth Coordinated Care (CCC) Plus Waiver can help to pay for in-home care for those who qualify for Medicaid.
These are just a few of the options that can make home modifications more affordable. Each municipality and state will have its own set of programs and options.
Learn About Accessibility Resources in Your Area
If you want your aging parents to remain at home for as long as possible, you will likely need to make some adjustments to the house to keep them safe and happy.
The experts at the Shepherd’s Center of Northern Virginia can help you explore the resources available in your area, from grants and funding support to installers who have experience in home modifications.
Contact SCNOVA to learn more about accessibility options and how you can incorporate them into your northern Virginia home to support your aging parents.
December 3, 2024, we ask you to please keep the Shepherd’s Center of Northern Virginia in mind. As a non-profit we rely solely upon the support of community partners, grants and donations. To put your generosity into perspective, remember this, our funds go to enriching the lives of older adults in the communities we serve.