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Use it or loose it. I'm sure if I did not have stairs in my daily life, I would sooner begin to see stairs as an obstacle. I like my quad level home that has 5 or 6 steps from one level to another. A lot of hobby stuff is in the basement, 2 levels, and I'm up & down those all the time. Age 73y.
Just thinking out loud here, but, unless you have a significant joint, cardiac, or obesity problem, just being old should not make you unable to climb a few steps.
If I were to move I probably would not want a full two story home but I think quad & try levels can be a good compromise.
Why? Do you have any of the issues you listed above as acceptable reasons or more accurately excuses?
As others have mentioned there are a variety of reasons people have that don't include those you listed, as well as a variety of ways to continue "using it" that don't include stairs in your home.
Why the need to judge the choices, needs or concerns of people you don't know and who's choices don't have any impact on your own decisions I can't understand.
there are so many reasons besides knees that steps can become problematic. People get many other diseases that can impair mobility or just make it awkward to use stairs. People of all ages can have foot or leg injuries. You can have an arm or shoulder injury and be able to get around but find it difficult to carry anything up or downstairs which can be very problematic, especially if you live alone.
The chances of any type of medical problem increases with age so realistically speaking, the odds of stairs being an issue increases with age. Some people are lucky enough to not face these problems, others deal with them far before they are elderly - I never expected to be using a walker while I recovered from surgery to remove a bone tumor in my hip when I was 30.
That doesn't mean people should never have stairs - I personally just bought a home with stairs 3 years ago, while in my early 50s. I intend to stay here for another 10-15 years. But even assuming everything goes according to plan, I will be buying a condo or some other home with no stairs the next time. I knew that going in, and didn't buy this home with the intent to age in place, in part because there are reasons where I may not even stay in my current location. For other people, if they think they are where they hope to live out their days, it can often make a lot of sense to take these things into consideration in their 50s, even 40s, with the idea that this home needs to serve their needs for many decades to come.
Why? Do you have any of the issues you listed above as acceptable reasons or more accurately excuses?
As others have mentioned there are a variety of reasons people have that don't include those you listed, as well as a variety of ways to continue "using it" that don't include stairs in your home.
Why the need to judge the choices, needs or concerns of people you don't know and who's choices don't have any impact on your own decisions I can't understand.
I'm not judging anybody. It's just a conversation. Mostly as it applies to myself. Nothing is absolute. Sorry if I sounded judgemental.
Use it or loose it. I'm sure if I did not have stairs in my daily life, I would sooner begin to see stairs as an obstacle. I like my quad level home that has 5 or 6 steps from one level to another. A lot of hobby stuff is in the basement, 2 levels, and I'm up & down those all the time. Age 73y.
Just thinking out loud here, but, unless you have a significant joint, cardiac, or obesity problem, just being old should not make you unable to climb a few steps.
If I were to move I probably would not want a full two story home but I think quad & try levels can be a good compromise.
Use it or lose it is right. I lived in a 4th floor walk up apt and moved to a !st floor apt. Then a few years later at age 43 bought a 2 story house with a basement. For the first week or 2 in that house the backs of my thighs were screaming in pain after being underutilized for the few years in the 1st fl apt.
Now, at age 64, I am diligent with exercise. I don't want to ever feel that weak again.
Of course in the case of disease or disability safety comes first!
Use it or lose it is right. I lived in a 4th floor walk up apt and moved to a !st floor apt. Then a few years later at age 43 bought a 2 story house with a basement. For the first week or 2 in that house the backs of my thighs were screaming in pain after being underutilized for the few years in the 1st fl apt.
Now, at age 64, I am diligent with exercise. I don't want to ever feel that weak again.
Of course in the case of disease or disability safety comes first!
Obviously if you never do any exercise other than your own stairs you'll lose something if you move to a ranch-style home - but 2 weeks to get back into shape - what's the big deal? If you have any other physical activities in your life then it shouldn't be a big deal to be in a ranch.
Do you have a full bath at least on the first floor?
Not just old age. I stopped purchasing housing with stairs many years ago, after shattering my heel in an accident. I basically had to live in the LR, and crawl down or up stairs to get to a bathroom (tri-level house) for a few weeks. Since then I have decided to always purchase a ranch; just in case I get stupid and take up another stupid sport.
So the age is not important at times. Heck I'm 69, and walk six miles a day with two large dogs up and down hills. However, I have been told by realtors that ranches to sell better with many seniors.
I am 85 and my wife is 87. We can climb stairs, but the possibility of falling is too great a risk. I fell once already from the second step, and tore out a ACL and had mine operated on the same day Tiger Woods had the same operation.
I have some very find doctors, specializing in the aged population and orthopedics. They tell us, as we age, no matter what we lose mobility, plus the strength of the bones lessens, so a fall is what makes a lot of older people become bedridden/wheel chair ridden. They tell me, that the most dangerous situation for elderly is to fall, and do permanent damage. They say it does not matter how well preserved you are, or how healthy you think you are, it is a problem waiting to happen as you age. Stairs is the one place that so many elderly injure themselves, and can put in a wheelchair or bed for life.
We have a 4 level 3,700 sq. ft. home for the two us (no basement) with soaring 25 ft window wall in living room. The bedroom are all on the 3rd and 4th level. For safety sake, we have installed chair lifts on the 3 stairways, and we ride up and down for safety. We have 5 acres that is across the county road separating the best area of the city, and the county.
To take care of a big home, and the surrounding property, we have a housekeeper come in 3 days a week, to maintain the home. We have an outside man that mows the 1 acre of lawn and landscaping, and does outside maintenance, and inside repair as needed. He uses our tractor mower and other equipment. In the winter we install a blade on the tractor, and he can clear our 500 ft lane up to our yard, and 1/4 acre of parking area the few times a year we get a bad snow. Our snow is light and fluffy here in the Rockies so we only have to use a leaf blower to blow the snow off of the walks and rear 15'X35' ft Veranda.
No matter what some younger people may think, the elderly and handicapped do have to make adjustments in their lives as they age. You may think it is O.K. to walk up flights of steps on a regular basis, but as the medical professionals tell us, you have either to make adjustments or will end up in trouble. I like being able to walk normal without a cane or crutches. The problem with stairs is, one slip is all it takes to cause serious damage, no matter how good of health you ae in. We had two choices. Move into a small single story so called retirement home, or continue to enjoy our beautiful home, with fantastic mountain views in the distance. Watching deer and rabbits feed on our lawn. See an occasional predator pass through up to a Cougar. Birds including flocks of geese in the 300 acre field adjoining our home. A very pleasant home for elderly, and by installing chair lifts, and having household and yard help, we can continue to live were we are happy.
oldtrader: you have one huge house and property. Wonder what part of the country that is...sounds like Wyoming or Montana. Ever think of going to a smaller place?
I have moderate to severe OA. I'm 41 years old. I'm fit, so it has nothing to do with laziness. It has a lot to do with reality - the arthritis isn't gonna get any better. What I feel right now may not be what I feel 20 years later.
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...the tone at the start of this thread may have influenced how I read some posts.
