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Why would your mom, or anyone else, think about an "eventual" walker? That makes it sound like an inevitability. If someone wishes to plan for floor space in case a walker becomes necessary, there is certainly nothing wrong with that. However, I don't understand the attitude that we are all going to be crippled and disabled.
In other words, it's not the planning for a worst case scenario that I am questioning, but the wording which indicates inevitability.
As people age - there are only 2 options. Getting older and increasingly feeble - or being dead. Note that I come from a family that tends to live to 90 or even 100+ years. And most of the problems that pop up are at age 80+. I think a lot depends on what you're planning for in terms of your dwelling at a particular age. You - in your 60's - probably didn't plan for your 80's or 90's or later years when you moved into your current place. And it wouldn't have made sense for you to have done that either IMO. My husband and I moved into our current place in our late 40's. Perhaps we could make it work at 80+. Don't know - and we didn't plan for that possibility.
OTOH - if someone is talking about a new place when he/she is 60's or older - planning for when you might be 80+ makes a lot more sense. Robyn
We have 'hard water' where I live and it's full of lime and other minerals that can really mess up ANYTHING glass. It seems like no matter how hard we try, or work at it, shower doors, coffee pots and windows will still get stubborn and awful spots. We use everything from CLR to plain vinegar to try to avoid it. We have finally got the water softener hooked up to both of our houses so maybe that'll help.
As people age - there are only 2 options. Getting older and increasingly feeble - or being dead....... if someone is talking about a new place when he/she is 60's or older - planning for when you might be 80+ makes a lot more sense.
Absolutely. In fact, ever since age 60 (when my body started trying to self-destruct, LOL) I have looked at every single potential house purchase through the eyes of an 80+ yr old with limited mobility who lives alone and wants to remain independent as long as humanly possible. I already know the latter two factors are written in stone and the first factor is extremely likely (possibly even before age 80).
It's the reverse of what I did when I was pregnant: Examining our house top to bottom from the perspective of a toddler. It's unsettling what one discovers when doing that, LOL. ;-)
So yes indeed, I do assume an eventual walker. And/or scooter. And/or wheelchair. And I assume that I won't be able to get up on a ladder to change a lightbulb (heck, I'm unsteady on anything more than a 2-step one NOW, lol) and may not be able to get someone to come over to change it for weeks, which is why I no longer buy any single-bulb ceiling fixtures. And that eventually, pushing/dragging a vacuum cleaner is going to be a challenge, so give me a hard floor that I can clean with a Swiffer instead.
During my adult life I've designed and built one house (when I was MUCH younger, lol) and gut-renovated four. As I've gotten older I've had less and less energy and patience for such projects, and have been able to do less and less of the work myself. I really DO NOT want to face any kind of a renovation project AT ALL when I'm in my 70s or 80s! Been there, done that, sick of it. ;-)
Absolutely. In fact, ever since age 60 (when my body started trying to self-destruct, LOL) I have looked at every single potential house purchase through the eyes of an 80+ yr old with limited mobility who lives alone and wants to remain independent as long as humanly possible. I already know the latter two factors are written in stone and the first factor is extremely likely (possibly even before age 80).
It's the reverse of what I did when I was pregnant: Examining our house top to bottom from the perspective of a toddler. It's unsettling what one discovers when doing that, LOL. ;-)
So yes indeed, I do assume an eventual walker. And/or scooter. And/or wheelchair. And I assume that I won't be able to get up on a ladder to change a lightbulb (heck, I'm unsteady on anything more than a 2-step one NOW, lol) and may not be able to get someone to come over to change it for weeks, which is why I no longer buy any single-bulb ceiling fixtures. And that eventually, pushing/dragging a vacuum cleaner is going to be a challenge, so give me a hard floor that I can clean with a Swiffer instead.
During my adult life I've designed and built one house (when I was MUCH younger, lol) and gut-renovated four. As I've gotten older I've had less and less energy and patience for such projects, and have been able to do less and less of the work myself. I really DO NOT want to face any kind of a renovation project AT ALL when I'm in my 70s or 80s! Been there, done that, sick of it. ;-)
We're in a somewhat different situation. We built this house as a "retirement place". But when we were a fair amount younger. Luckily - we never had a taste for multi-story living. So everything's on one floor. And fairly open. If we needed a wheel chair accessible place - we might have to modify some door openings - but it wouldn't be a super big deal. Biggest necessary modifications would be things like the kitchen - but I'll be ready for a new one by that time anyway .
As for the ladder/lightbulb thing - that's easy (except perhaps on the wallet). We replaced just about all of our bulbs with LEDs this year. They're supposed to last 20+ years. Probably longer than I will . We got the bulbs at Costco - and the bulbs we bought there cost about half as much as those we saw elsewhere. An added bonus when we bought the LEDs is they aren't "energy efficient" like the newer incandescent and halogen bulbs (i.e. you get fewer watts = dimmer bulbs). You can really crank up the light (easier on older eyes for various things) and still save on energy costs. The ones we bought are dimmable too (so we don't have to watch movies at night in the equivalent of broad daylight).
When it comes to cleaning - I've had a once a week housekeeper since like forever. And don't plan to stop doing that ever. If someone is planning for aging - it's nice - if at all possible - to have a little something in the budget to pay for a housekeeper at least once every two weeks - and - preferably - more often. Regardless of what kind of floors one prefers. Robyn
When it comes to cleaning - I've had a once a week housekeeper since like forever. And don't plan to stop doing that ever. If someone is planning for aging - it's nice - if at all possible - to have a little something in the budget to pay for a housekeeper at least once every two weeks - and - preferably - more often. Regardless of what kind of floors one prefers. Robyn
I lol every time I read about housekeepers and I lol at myself here.
I would love one myself but I'm the type of person who would clean the house for the housekeeper because I wouldn't want her to think I was messy or sloppy or lazy.
I lol every time I read about housekeepers and I lol at myself here.
I would love one myself but I'm the type of person who would clean the house for the housekeeper because I wouldn't want her to think I was messy or sloppy or lazy.
This is exactly how I have always felt- it would be a total waste of$$ plus I'd have the added stress of having to make sure I had everything orderly before she got here.
Why would your mom, or anyone else, think about an "eventual" walker? That makes it sound like an inevitability. If someone wishes to plan for floor space in case a walker becomes necessary, there is certainly nothing wrong with that. However, I don't understand the attitude that we are all going to be crippled and disabled.
In other words, it's not the planning for a worst case scenario that I am questioning, but the wording which indicates inevitability.
My mom needs a walker NOW but refuses to use one. She does use a cane though. She falls quite a bit too which makes me worry about her a LOT. When she had this place built she knew she'd be using a walker eventually, and would be if she weren't so stubborn. She won't even use the electric carts in the stores so it takes her forever to get anything done.
I'm not "planning" on being crippled or disabled but you just never know. My mom is 87 and, while her main health is very good, she is slowing down a lot and does need to use a walker...if she just would.
Same problem here in southern NM. I use a squeegee on the shower stall walls and the glass shower door each time I use it and then I wipe the glass door down with a towel. None of those new chemicals that promise to keep your shower/doors clean works! And I suspect the chemicals wouldn't be a good if you are on a septic system. Even having the water softener won't solve the problem totally.
I use a squeegee on my shower walls and floor. Same tile as the walls and it keeps them from getting slippery from soap/shampoo etc.. I use CLR to keep the shower head clear of 'gunk'. I know the water softener won't solve the problem totally but that's okay, I guess. At least it's not totally ignored to just get worse and worse!
Don't tell me toilets are going to be out in the open too?
Well, whatever. Not as shy as I use to be anyway.
Love my Toto toilet. Never use the blow dryer. Takes too long. But everything else is just the berries.
I think the Toto toilets we have at work aren't what you guys are talking about. They simply flush themselves but they DON'T "dry and powder" you!
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. We got the bulbs at Costco - and the bulbs we bought there cost about half as much as those we saw elsewhere. An added bonus when we bought the LEDs is they aren't "energy efficient" like the newer incandescent and halogen bulbs (i.e. you get fewer watts = dimmer bulbs). You can really crank up the light (easier on older eyes for various things) and still save on energy costs. The ones we bought are dimmable too (so we don't have to watch movies at night in the equivalent of broad daylight).
