Aging in Place Beautifully: Make Your House a Home for a Litetime
Other lifts, called ‘incline lifts’, have fold down platforms that can carry a
A stair lift is ideal for a two-story home.
wheelchair to the next level. The person in a wheelchair does not have to transfer when using these types of lifts.
Another great feature for a home that is well suited for Aging in Place is a level entry shower – one that does not have a curb. These types of showers have been around for many years in Asia and Europe and they can look really great!
Many of the jobs we do are for folks who are not able to get into or out of a bath tub safely. Most home related accidents involve entering or exiting a tub/shower. The solution is to remove the tub and replace it with a curb-less shower.
Manufacturers of plumbing supplies are making it easy for us to do this type of work now. There are shower pans available that
fit into the floor easily, without having major structural work done to slope the shower pan. These pans are sized to fit into the space vacated by the bathtub, so no additional floor space is needed. Locally, Bay Plumbing Supply on Soquel Avenue has level entry shower displays, so you can see for yourself that accessibility is truly a beautiful thing.
Jeff Talmadge is President of Talmadge Construction, Inc. He is a Certified Remodeler and a Certified Aging In Place Specialist through the National Association of Home Builders.
