November is both National Family Caregivers Month and National Home Care and Hospice Month, which makes it a great time to consider whether your home’s design is suitable for you or other members of your household to age in place.
Universal design is an approach to home design that allows people of all ages and abilities to use the space, making it easier and more comfortable for everyone.
If you want to work universal design into your home, here’s what you need to know.
What is universal design?
The goal of universal design is to create a home that’s functional, accessible and comfortable for people of any age or physical condition. It’s an approach that prioritizes inclusiveness, ensuring that anyone who lives at or visits your home can move about and use the home without extra adaptations.
Benefits of Universal Design
The biggest benefit of universal design is that it can serve everyone — growing families, older adults, caregivers and more. It also doesn’t require constant updating as your needs change.
In many markets, universal design could also make your home more marketable should you sell it later on. It may even translate to a higher selling price.
How to Incorporate Universal Design
You don’t necessarily need to do a full renovation to achieve aspects of universal design in your home. Some smaller projects you can focus on include:
- Widening doorways and ensuring all entries are zero-step, which makes them easy for anyone with strollers, walkers or wheelchairs.
- Adding pullout shelves and varying countertop heights in kitchens and bathrooms, allowing easy access to all.
- Installing motion-activated lights to improve usability and increase safety.
- Using voice-activated or automatic devices on a timer, like smart security systems, thermostats and blinds or curtains.
Are you interested in buying a home that already has some (or all) of these features? Reach out today for help.
