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Published Sunday, January 30, 2011 in Local

Staying at home for seniors may require remodeling

By Winston Skinner

The Newnan Times-Herald

The goal of most people is "to age in place," according to gerontologist Beth Lever.

Staying at home sweet home, however, may well mean making some changes. When Lever and her husband built their home, they planned to stay for the rest of their lives and built it on one level with much thought put into how the home could function in the future.

Lever spoke to a group about aging issues at Central Library on Saturday. She said that when her husband had knee surgery, they quickly discovered -- to their chagrin -- that the doors to their bathroom were not wide enough for his walker.

Having "one entry without steps" is important, she said, as is making sure there is space and accessibility for wheelchair use. Lever also noted the importance of having working smoke and burglar alarms.

Decisions about hardwood floors or carpet have to be made based on individual needs. Throw rugs should be avoided. Lever said rugs are the number one cause of falls.

Particularly for people with dementia, Lever said lighting can be important. "Sundowning" occurs when people with dementia become more confused as the day draws to a close. Many people have a tendency to close blinds and turn lights down or off as dusk arrives.

For someone with dementia, it is better to open the blinds and turn on the lights. Doing so softens the impact of sundowning.

Having lots of good light is wise anyway. "As people age, the vision is not as good," she noted.

Bathrooms present special challenges. Skin is more delicate as people age, so water temperature may need to be re-evaluated from time to time. Having a higher toilet and grab bars near the toilet and in the bath/shower are important.

A shower seat and hand-held shower head can be a great help.

Handles for faucets -- as well as doors -- should be real handles that make an "L" shape and not a round knob. "People with arthritis have a hard time grasping those round balls," Lever said.

In the kitchen, there should be easy to grasp knobs or pulls. Front controls are ideal on the stove -- unless someone has dementia.

"A side-by-side refrigerator is easier for someone in a wheelchair to get into," Lever said. Having some lower counters -- about 30 inches high -- is also good.

Evaluating "what kind of emergency and medical response is available" is important, said Lever, who is a staff member at Wesley Wood of Newnan-Peachtree City.

She advocated the use of monitors that can be worn around one's neck. She said if a Wesley Woods resident with one of those monitors is at a program in an auditorium at Wesley Woods and that person presses the button, a staff member can tell who they are and where they are immediately.

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