OK - it seems that almost everyone here hates many elder care facilities (especially what they call "nursing homes").
Many of you here are pretty young (or really young) - but thinking about getting a new place when you retire - or looking at the place where you're living now and wondering how you might have to change it if - at age 80 (give or take) - you wind up incapable of running a marathon
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So I thought I'd start a thread where people can exchange design ideas. What to look for if you're buying a new place - or thinking about a retrofit of an old place. How the place will work for you in your 60's and 70's - and what you might have to do at age 80+ (of course - we don't all get the same infirmities at the same age so a place that is ok for one person who's fit as a fiddle at age 85 might not be ok for another person who's 70 who has medical issues).
Anyway - like I said in another thread - we built our current house to be good during our 50's and 60's - perhaps until our 70's. My husband has MS - and he may need some changes within the next 5 years - earlier than many people.
When we built our house - the primary design consideration was a single story house. No stairs. To me - that is design rule #1. The rest - not necessarily in order of importance.
Second consideration - low maintenance (or maintenance that is easily done by people you can afford to hire).
Third consideration - doorways and corridors that can accommodate wheelchairs (think we have a few that don't pass muster - but most do - and those that don't can be altered easily).
Fourth consideration - drawers and low storage cabinets you can reach easily - especially in the kitchen. I will never forget the day I saw my elderly mother trying to bend over to retrieve a pot buried in the back of a lower kitchen cabinet - and she fell over and hurt herself. Having to climb on step stools to reach high cabinets is no bargain either once your sense of balance starts to deteriorate.
Fifth consideration - soft floor surfaces and nothing to trip on. We have carpet in most areas and new style "old fashioned" linoleum in places like our kitchen. And no mats - area rugs - etc. to trip on.
Sixth consideration - a nice big shower where you can bathe sitting down if necessary. If you're a bath person - a tub designed so you don't break your neck trying to get in or out of it.
Seventh consideration - lighting. Enough of it so you don't need a flashlight to read in the places you read. But dimmable if you don't want an area to look like a hospital OR 24/7.
Eighth consideration - comfy furniture (which can be stylish).
I have always hated exposed wiring (for everything) in terms of aesthetics. So I am a master at hiding wires/cords. But it goes without saying that you don't want any around you might trip on.
We are not yet at the point where we need grab bars anywhere - but I reckon that will come with time.
Anyway - all comments and additional suggestions - well bring them on. And think about your ideal kitchen when you're struggling with the turkey tomorrow
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A Happy Thanksgiving to all of you:
Turkey in the Straw - animated Flash ecard by Jacquie Lawson
(Note that this is a great website for ecards - not free but worth the nominal annual fee). Robyn
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All good suggestions
