Most Calgary homeowners want to remain in their homes for as long as possible, especially considering the cost of assisted living for a one-bedroom unit ranges from approximately $3,364 to $5,800 per month. To stay in their homes longer, more and more Calgarians are turning toward planning ahead with their renovations to ensure their homes adapt over time to their changing needs. And there is a name for this. It's aging-in-place home renovations.
In today's blog, our team at Kavaleer Renovations will share more about aging-in-place home design and how these Calgary home accessibility upgrades can help you future-proof your living space. We've also gone so far as to share why home renovations for aging in place are important beyond the fact that you get to stay in a home you love.
Here's a sneak peek at what to expect:
What Does Aging-in-Place Mean for Homeowners?
Best Accessible Renovations for Future-Proofing Your Home
Bathroom Safety Upgrades
Future-Ready Kitchen Design Features
Entrances, Doorways, and Mobility Solutions
Flooring and Lighting Improvements
Smart Technology and Modern Touches
Whole-Home Modifications for Comfort and Safety
Addition Renovations for Senior-Friendly Living
The Kavaleer Renovations Approach to Accessible Design
For Calgary homeowners, aging in place is about independence. It's a fact of life that we all grow older, with adapting needs related to aging bodies and health conditions.
Although it's impossible to plan for everything that comes with age, we can prepare for where and how we will live. If you value your independence and prefer not to live in an assisted-living facility or downsize to a smaller house, undergoing a renovation that supports accessibility and aging in place enables you to avoid these unfavourable options.
When you can stay in place, you don't need to face the stress and frustration that comes with having to sell and buy something smaller. You also don't need to worry about not being able to easily maneuver in your home since a renovation will help you create spaces that suit every stage of your life.
Whether this means tearing out old bathrooms and creating barrier-free bathrooms or widening entryways to accommodate mobility aids, a renovation planned with your future in mind is worth it. However, it isn't just about accessibility.
Home renovations for aging in place also preserve dignity, make daily tasks more convenient, and allow families to enjoy the familiarity of their Calgary community. So, no matter how you look at it, home modifications for senior living are a good idea.
There are several aging-in-place upgrades you can make to your home during a remodel, but not all of them are worthwhile. So, to help you determine which home modifications for aging adults you should consider, we've shared the best aging in place renovations to consider below:
In Canada, falls are unfortunately the most common cause of injury hospitalizations, and many falls happen in bathrooms, especially amongst the elderly.
That's why, if your primary concern is safety and accessibility, we often recommend clients undertake accessible bathroom renovations in Calgary first before other remodelling projects.
A few modern accessibility features we often recommend for an aging-in-place renovation include barrier-free showers, slip-resistant flooring, comfort-height toilets, and lever faucets.
Learning how to future-proof your home can be somewhat challenging, especially when it comes to the kitchen. For most of us, the kitchen is a room in the house where we spend a lot of time preparing meals, gathering with friends and family, and helping our children with school projects and last-minute homework tasks.
They are also the places we use more often as we age, or at the very least, want to use more often, which means aging-in-place features are a must. With this in mind, when designing your renovation, consider asking your remodeler for accessibility features such as pull-down shelving, drawer storage, lowered countertops, and open layouts. These thoughtful details will make a world of difference when you spend time in your kitchen as you age.
During a home remodel in Calgary for the elderly or those considering aging-in-place renovations to future-proof their homes, entrances, doorways, and mobility solutions are often overlooked.
As we age, these types of renovations become increasingly necessary, especially accessibility additions like ramps, slip-resistant thresholds, and stair lifts, alongside widening entrances and doorways to accommodate future mobility needs.
At Kavaleer Renovations, our team can help you determine which of these renovations is a must now and which we can help with in the future. If we can help with this from the outset, we can plan your renovation in a way that accommodates any future design changes.
Small adjustments to flooring and lighting during renovations for elderly living can prevent big accidents. We've established that slip-resistant flooring, level transitions between rooms, and layered or motion-activated lighting significantly lower the risk of falls in a home.
And the best part of these upgrades is that they are fully customizable, with hundreds of flooring and lighting options available.
Senior living home renovations often include tech upgrades that make daily life feel easier. For example, nowadays, there are features you can incorporate into your home that allow a simple voice command to turn on the lights.
Then there are even smart thermostats that can keep the temperature just right, and automated blinds that can be adjusted with a touch. These small conveniences reduce strain, bring peace of mind, and fit easily into a modern home without feeling out of place.
Beyond individual rooms, there are whole-home senior home accessibility solutions that can help you create an even safer environment. During a whole home renovation, our team can install features like handrails in hallways, improve storage in every room, and update layouts or shift entire bedrooms to make things more accessible.
Sometimes the smartest way to make space for everyone is to simply add more space. If you're welcoming a parent into your home, a main-floor addition can be a real gift.
A fully accessible cozy bedroom and bathroom on the main level eliminate the worry of climbing stairs, and modern accessibility features, such as those we mentioned above, make the addition even safer and more comfortable.
Additionally, an in-law suite offers the best of both worlds: privacy for your parents and the comfort of having them nearby for everyday moments.
We hope that you now know how to future-proof your Calgary Home. All the ideas we discussed can help you achieve your goals at Kavaleer Renovations. When you're ready to remodel, our team will take the time to understand your current lifestyle and anticipate future needs. This means that our future-proof aging-in-place designs are customized, whether that means improving a bathroom, reworking a kitchen, or adding an accessible suite.
All we need from you is a little insight into your aging-in-place design ideas and what you need, and we'll help you choose the best aging-in-place features within your budget and style preferences. So, why not embrace accessibility now rather than later and look after your continued safety and evolving needs as you age? Contact us here today and let us tell you how to make your home accessible.