Aging in place — growing old in your own home rather than a nursing home — offers a lot of benefits. You’re in the comfort of familiar surroundings, and you retain independence. And depending on your health and level of home care, it can be less expensive. But it also involves risks. As people age, dexterity and balance typically decrease, social isolation can become a problem, and simple chores and home upkeep may prove more difficult.You can reduce or eliminate many of those risks by reevaluating the things in your home and how you use them. We spoke with a wide range of occupational therapists and other aging specialists — all of whom have conducted aging-in-place home assessments — and got their advice on how to transition your living space so that it’s safe, secure, and ready to foster your independence as you age.The experts we spoke with stressed that adapting your home for aging is a process that you must customize to your own needs — and that it’s best to take a proactive approach. Occupational therapist Matt Haase advises those who want to age in place to start slowly making home adaptations as soon as you’re in what you consider your “forever home.” If you try to do everything at once, it’s “like drinking out of a fire hydrant,” he said.Here’s a room-by-room view of what a home upgrade could look like.
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