The content of this article is directed for the benefit of Realtors who are working with clients aged 60+ who are seeking to purchase either an existing re-sale home or a newly constructed house with a view to that residence being their final home through their transition from the Golden Years into their Silver Years. I should also add in couples and families where one or more of the members are in some way faced with a physical disabling challenge. That, by the way, is becoming more frequent when a family is planning to acommodate an aging parent who may be reliant on thre use of a wheelchair or a walker.
Realtors who have received the SRES designation (Senior Real Estate Specialist) will already have a sense of how to approach the immediate or near future needs of an aging client with regard to probable modifications to the home's exterior and interior.
Amomng the more common modifications to be considered... an entry ramp if the house is on a raised slab or on a crawl-space and in appropriate cases, an exterior wheelchair platform lift; widening interior doorways to 36" to allow wheelchair or scooter mobility; rocker light switches, lever operated faucets and "easy-to-manage" lever door handles and window openers for folks with arthritic hands; potential for remodeling a kitchen and bathroom area as appropriate... can the open floor-space accommodate the 54" turning radius of a wheel-chair or scooter? Lower level counter top working areas and pull out drawers rather than cupboards; bathroom may well require a low-threshold walk-in tub or a zero-threshold shower with a bench seat, non-slip grab bars, non-slip flooring and a higher level toilet; an interior elevator if a 2-story house.
Extreme caes of physical disablement (MS, paralysis of the limbs etc) may require that a part of the home be equipped with a ceiling mounted track system to transport the individual from their bed to an adapted bathroom or into a living area .
Whether the need for Adaptive Living modifications are major or relatively minor in nature, the challenge is to find a Residential Contractor with experience in handling those projects. With the rapid growth in the numbers of aging Boomers there has NOT been a corresponding increase in the number of Contractors interested in meeting the need. If a Contractor's website features an "Aging In Place" specialty that is a rarity in most markets and not that common even in major Cities. A good source to find one is to check out ads in a local Senior Lifestyle publication or a Senior Directory. Maybe a local Senior Center would have info regarding Contractors with the required experience.
I am a Charleston, South Carolina Consultant to a couple of client State Licensed and Insured Contractors who have considerable experience within the Adapative Living Solutions and Aging In Place sector and who handle such projects if located within 40-miles of Charleston. You are welcome to contact me to discuss potential projects in the Charleston area. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by 'phone 843-364-5413
