There are many renovation ideas that can make a home more comfortable and functional during your retirement. Certain simple tasks can begin to feel like a chore when living alone or with your partner in old age, and so a lot of these renovation ideas will revolve around simply making life a bit easier so that you can enjoy your life without excessive strain or stress. Of course, certain renovations are going to be more costly as well as time-consuming compared to others, so you should weigh up the pros and cons of undertaking each project and decide whether it’s worthwhile or not. Here are a few ideas for you to consider.
Update Your Kitchen
Our kitchens can often be considered as a central hub in our homes and making them more user-friendly can make a big difference. This might involve adding lower countertops, pull-out shelving, or other features that can make it much easier to use. As well as adding more accessible fittings like lower worktops for those who may need to sit down while preparing food for longer periods, or those in a wheelchair, you should also think about the different appliances in your kitchen, too. There are many appliances that are considered to be “senior-friendly appliances”. These are designed with accessibility in mind, such as refrigerators having longer handles and proper lighting for added visibility inside. Certain appliances like cookers can also have larger digital displays to help those that may struggle to read smaller ones, and some can also come with easy-to-use timers that can shut off the oven once it’s done. This can be good if you sometimes lose track of time or things slip your mind occasionally.
Make Your Home Accessible
Consider installing ramps or handrails or even adding an elevator or stairlift if there are multiple floors to your property. Remodelling your home while keeping accessibility in mind is very important. You could widen doorways for disabled access or modify the layout to make it easier to navigate. Mobility can become a real issue as we get older, and a poorly laid-out home can make for a tiresome challenge at times. Streamline pathways through your home by creating wider and clear routes through your home. When it comes to the handrails and ramps, as mentioned earlier, these can be a source of embarrassment in some cases as some of us don’t wish to bring attention to mobility problems in older ages. In that case, you could add these in a much more subtle way than simply adding blatant metal railings.
Redesign Your Bathroom
Similar to our kitchens, bathrooms are something that should be a big consideration when looking at making your home more accessible in retirement. You can add things like an accessible bathtub, shower, and toilet. Railings are also a good idea if mobility is an issue, and you could also install fold-out seats in the shower so that you don’t need to stand the whole time. When it comes to completely redesigning kitchens and bathrooms, the costs can be quite high, yet these renovations can be very helpful in retirement. Of course, to help with this, you could consider getting a home improvement loan or even releasing some equity in your property. You can find out if you are eligible for an equity release mortgage by checking Retirement Solution’s lifetime mortgage calculator. Speak to your mortgage advisor before committing to anything like this, however. While this can be very helpful, this is a big decision and might not be the right choice for everyone.
Install Smart Technologies
There are a number of ways that this type of technology can benefit you as a retiree. For a start, smart security cameras and other devices can help improve your home’s safety. You could also get some smart detectors that can notify you of potential gas leaks or fires, and some of these can even automatically shut off your gas or alert emergency services in the event of a serious problem. Smart devices can also provide you with increased convenience. Smart thermostats can adjust the temperature automatically if your home gets too cold, and lights can also be turned on at the press of a button or with a simple voice command.
Renovate Your Outdoor Space
Another popular decision for renovation projects in retirement is the garden area. Having a pleasant and relaxing outdoor space is extremely beneficial to our physical and mental health, and the act of gardening can be a fantastic way to improve your overall well-being. However, undertaking an entire garden renovation alone can be a daunting task for anyone, so it might be worth considering getting some assistance from a professional landscape designer. Don’t forget that you’ll want to make your garden accessible based on your requirements, so this might include limited steps and the addition of railings and other helpful items. Create a pleasant seating area where you can spend time reflecting or meditating away from the stresses of the outside world.
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