5 Design Tips to Make your Home Safe and Comfortable for the Elderly 

Building a home is not overnight work. It is an investment for life. You invest not only your money but also your emotions, time, and energy. Your home is the place where you will grow old and experience the best and worst moments of your life, so planning for a home requires a big picture and a future perspective. 

So, how far are you ready to go?

When it comes to planning a home, you need to focus more on the interior. We live in a country where family comes first, and the elderly have some special needs that should be addressed. A few tweaks and turns to your home interior, furniture layout, and sensible architectural choices ensure that your home is a safe and convenient place for them to reside.

In addition, Covid-19 has made it more important to invest in a home that is comfortable for everyone. It has become important to construct an elder-friendly home during Covid times, as external elements like dust, water, and grime can lead to allergies and ailments. Thus, it is essential to plan the home interior in such a way that it meets the much-needed requirements of the elders.

Design Tips For An Elderly-Friendly Home

Control the Traffic Flow

The living room is the first thing that attracts people. But excessive furniture can be mayhem to the elderly. Space is affluent. Rearrange your living room furniture in a way that the seniors can move freely. Look for comfy yet clean, spacious, and clutter-free home décor layouts.

For an elegant living room design, you can use an L-shaped sofa with a couch or two chairs. Add a round coffee table to this mix; its edge-free design ensures added safety. This will not only provide your room with a ravishing look but also allow free passage.

Tips

• Use small pieces of furniture like a pouffe.
• Minimize glasswork, like too many vases or side lamps.
• Cover the corners and leave the middle space empty for a good walkthrough.

Choose Slip-Resistant Floors

One of the major uncertainties that most people face is falling on wet floors, sometimes leading to severe injuries. Wet areas in the kitchen or bathrooms are especially high-risk zones. So, consider installing an anti-slip floor to build a safe living space, even if you do not have any elderly people living with you.

The slip-resistant/anti-skid floors come in various textures and patterns that give your home a beautiful appearance. Therefore, investing in a slip-resistant floor is not only safe but also enriches your home design.

Tips

• Use a pebble-tiled floor with contrasting wall colour for an aesthetic look.
• Anti-slip rubber mats are a great alternative if changing the floor is not an option.

Use Right Kind of Light

Overhead lights are trendy and attractive, giving your home a classy, sophisticated, and minimal look. But, these lights can be highly impractical for elders, as they are not illuminating enough to brighten the corners of the room. Also, these lights can affect eyesight in the long run.

So, opt for better and brighter lighting options, ones that will highlight the finest details of your home, like edges, sharp objects, corners, and also eliminate shadows. Invest in options that not only brighten your home but also making it safer to walk around.

Tips

• Install multiple lights.
• Use bright bulbs for overhead lights.
• Try contrasting or coloured bulbs to improve perception.

Ensure Safety

Today, most people live in working-class families, which makes it highly difficult to look after the elders. So, it is essential to make both interiors and exteriors safe for your elders. You need to go above and beyond for their safety, especially if they are aged.

For interiors, if your home has a stairway, install slip-resistant handles for extra support. For the exterior, install CCTV cameras and alarm systems to keep an eye on doubtful activities.

Tips

• Install burglar alarm systems for gate and main doors.
• Add a smart lock system.
• Install cameras inside the premises to keep a check if your parents have dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Invest in Lounging Spaces

Elders like lounging spaces — balconies and verandas — to sip their morning tea while reading the newspaper or admire the outside life during their evening coffee.

With the right and comfy furniture, you can make a perfect lounge space for them to relax and enjoy their days. Add a few plants to give it a more refined look.

Tips

• Add a swing.
• Add the rocking chair; most elders love sitting on it.
• Use furniture with proper armrests and back support.

Implementing thoughtful changes in furniture, floors, lighting, and overall home design will make a tremendous difference in the lives of your seniors. HomeLane provides you with the needed design elements for a comfortable living. When you reach a certain age, you suffer from several problems like tailbone pain, arthritis, so it is better to invest in designs that will help enrich everyone’s comfort — yours, your elders, and other family members too.