As you age, your needs in a house will change. Your home now may not be exactly what you need five or ten years from now. Maybe your home is too big, and you are considering downsizing. Or maybe your home is the perfect size for you, and it just needs a few modifications. Many seniors do not want to wait until they have mobility issues to make changes to their homes. You do not have to make crazy renovations, but specific small changes to your home will make it a more comfortable place to live as you age. Here are six changes you can make to your home as you age.

First Floor Master Bedroom

As you age, worrying about getting up the stairs to the bedroom and bathroom is unnecessary. You will not want to worry about climbing stairs by yourself as you age. A first-floor master bedroom and bathroom will put everything you need on the same level for you.

If your bedroom and bathroom are currently on the second floor of your home and you have a bedroom and bathroom on the first floor that you could make a switch to, that would be a great swap.

Walk-In Shower

Mobility and balance issues are common among people as they age. This where walk-in showers come in to make bathing time more manageable and more enjoyable. You will not have to worry about getting up over the side of the bathtub to get into the shower.

It also makes your home value increase because a walk-in shower is desired in homes and is modern-looking. Walk-in showers eliminate the risks of falling and allow you to bathe more independently.

With all the benefits, such as increased home value and easier bathing time, walk-in showers are a significant change to make to your home as you age.

Replacing Slippery Surfaces with Carpet

Wood floor, laminate, and tile are desirable flooring options for homes. Still, they may not be accommodating to people as they age. These floors can be slippery and may not be safe for people as they age. Some people use rugs to solve this problem, but rugs can slip and be a hazard, as well.

Replacing hardwood, laminate, or tile with carpet is a significant change to make to your home as you are aging. The carpet is not easy to slip on; it provides more of a cushion if you fall and is easier for you to walk on. Replace the areas that you worry about slipping in most. Carpet does not work in a kitchen but maybe good in your bedroom or living area.

Grab Bars

As mentioned above, aging can come with some mobility and balance issues. A significant change to make to your home is to install grab bars in areas where you might need some extra support. They give you something to hold on to as you are standing or walking.

Some examples of places to put grab bars are in the shower, on a hallway wall, or by the toilet. Grab bars can help reduce the risk of injury. They are easy to install and not very costly.

Door Lever Handles

Door lever handles are an affordable and straightforward change to make to your home. Changing your doorknobs to door levers is a significant change to make because, with levers, you do not have to have a tight grip to open a door.

If you have arthritis or do not have a firm grip, gripping a doorknob can be challenging.  Levers also have a more modern look to them, so that this low-priced change will increase house value.

Pullout Shelves

Pullout shelves are a change to make to a home that anyone would love! Who likes having to reach into a cupboard and get something in the back of the shelf? Pullout drawers can be an easy DIY project that you get from home improvement stores and put into your cabinet yourself. They organize your cabinets and make it safer to pull things out. Say goodbye to reaching into the back of a cupboard for a pan!

Conclusion

You do not need to renovate your home to make changes to it as you age. Most of the recommended changes above are simple DIY projects that won’t break the bank. You can do these projects yourself or hire a contractor to do them. These changes will assist you in transitioning your home to meet your needs as you age. These six changes can help make your everyday tasks and lifestyle easier.