Senior citizens are the fastest-growing age group in the country today, and more and more people are keeping aging in place considerations in mind when building their dream home. 

If you’re planning to build your dream house in Hawaii, you are likely looking to create a forever home that you can spend your retirement in. While more and more seniors are choosing to age in place rather than opt for senior homes, making sure that your home is prepared for your changing needs.

1. Choose a Single Story Home

Singe story homes mean that there are no extraneous staircases that might be difficult for you to traverse as you age. Instead, a single-story house will mean you have freedom of movement around your home regardless of your age, while stairs can be both a mobility and a safety concern.

If you do choose to go with two or more stories, ensure that your staircases have hand railings to help support you. Another option is to install an elevator in your home – though this can be costly, it will make traveling across floors easier.

2. Be Mindful of the Entrance 

The entry to your home is a significant consideration that can be easy to ignore. For greatest convenience, try and ensure that you don’t need to climb stairs to enter the house.

If this is not possible, install railings on the staircase to help support you. Also, install a ramp so that your home is as accessible as possible – remember, your ramp should also have a railing for support.

Another thing to consider is the size of your doorways, including your main door. Speak to your contractors and have them widened so that they are accessible to both walkers and wheelchairs if necessary.

1. Choose Bright Lighting

As you age, you will find that you will benefit from brighter lighting that is glare-free. This type of lighting makes it easier for senior citizens to see. 

Make sure that you have a lot of lighting, especially in high traffic areas like kitchens. You should also make the most use of the natural light that your house gets by removing heavy drapes and shades and adding more (or larger) windows and skylights if possible.

4. Minimize Flooring Hazards

The ideal flooring material for senior citizens should minimize falls, trips, and spills. It should be soft, ensuring that bones don’t break and bruise easily in the case of a fall. A good option is to go with rubber flooring, which is both soft and naturally slip-resistant, as well as fire-resistant.

Also, make sure to remove all rugs, which are tripping hazards. For similar reasons, try and make sure that the flooring across your home is at a consistent height, and make the transitions between any height differences that do exist very visible with the use of colorful or glow-in-the-dark tape.

Aging in place in your dream house in Hawaii is very possible as long as you keep some key considerations in mind. If you’re looking to build your dream home, you can contact R. Clary Builders at (808) 263-4463. You can find out more about us at https://rclarybuilders.com/ – we would love to answer any questions that you may have about designing a home for aging in place!