Are You Looking for Ways to Help Your Loved Ones Stay in Their Own Home?

The 12 car ride with your father was an eye opener.
When your 85 year old father agreed for the second year in a row to travel south to visit your oldest daughter for her college Homecoming, you were excited. Because your stepmom is not nearly in as good of health, it is important that your dad get out and about when he can. Just like the previous year, your father offered to let you take his large pickup truck for the 12 hour one way trip. Unlike last year, though, your husband was able to go along. This meant instead of you doing all of the driving, your husband would be the primary driver.
Traveling with your father has always been fun and a source of lots of information. The fact that he was been a passenger and freight elevator mechanic and worked in a variety of settings means that he is knowledgeable about a number of topics. From farming to construction, your father always has an I-know-a-guy story to share. The fact that he spent his working days installing elevators in office buildings, parking garages, churches, and even homes also means that he is the master of adaptation.
With a couple of special features on the tailgate of his truck, for instance, your father can easily get in and out of the bed. He also mentioned several times that he wished that he had retractable running boards so that his wife could more easily ride in the truck. After a few times of getting in and out of the truck it became apparent that your father not only understood the accessibility standards that were needed in a home, he was also the master of making any space, and any pickup for that matter, easily accessible.
Consider some of these statistics about some of the reasons that accessibility standards are an important part of the modifications that many Americans who want to age in place must make:

• 2 million senior citizens visit the emergency room every year for injuries caused by a fall. In home stair lift installations can help avoid many of these falls.
• Accessibility standards are tested modifications that can help you make your home a safer place.
• An older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall every 11 seconds.
• 6.8 million Americans use assistive devices to aid their mobility.
• 90% of people over the age of 65 want to live in their home as long as they can, according to American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) and the National Conference of State Legislatures,

Whether you are looking out for an 85 year old father or your own spouse, understanding the modifications that must be made can help you make sure your loved one is able to stay in their own home as long as possible. From making sure that your plan meets the residential wheelchair ramp code to understanding the available bathroom accessibility products, modifications can help your loved one age in place instead of going into a nursing home.
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