Do You Need To Upgrade Your Parents’ House?
As people get older there are a number of things that happen to the body which make life that little bit more physically demanding. Muscles get tired more easily, bones and joints don’t work quite so efficiently and brains take a little bit longer to process things. As most older people live away from the rest of their family they have to look after themselves all the time, which can make worried children more worried.
Here are some suggestions of what you can do to your parents, grandparents, aunty and uncle’s homes to give yourself peace of mind and give them a bit of help as they reach their twilight years.
Stairs
Getting up and down stairs is hard enough for those of us with average health, let alone someone over 60. What you can do to help them is to make a few additions. First you should make sure the surface of the stairs is not slippery to help them keep their balance and fit a hand rail for support. If their mobility is not up to this then you may want to install a stair lift that carries them up and down in a seat, or consider getting a home lift.
Bathroom
Getting in and out of the bath or shower can cause difficulties for tired bones. By installing a range of hand rails and textured material can allow your parents to ease themselves in and out of a fairly perilous position securely. You can even get hoists that lower you into the bath or special ‘sit down’ baths that mean the only movement they need to make is to sit as the bath fills up around them.
Paths
Outside can be even more treacherous than indoors so making sure that all the paths and walkways your parents have to use are as safe as possible would be a good idea. You can do this by first repairing any broken paving stones or filling in any potholes, then installing hand rails or providing a strategically placed bench so they have the opportunity to sit down if they want.
Double Glazing
If you are concerned that they will be cold or that their security is at risk then you may want to consider checking out some double glazing prices. This will provide a layer of insulation that is more efficient than actual bricks as new technology is pretty advanced. Plus, double glazing repairs are cheaper than they used to be.
Having said all this you will of course still need to convince your parents that getting all this stuff (at the best prices)is a good idea.