The Leo Lantz remodel of John and Lisa O’Brion’s bath includes a zero-entry shower. (Photo by Ash Daniel)
Remodeling a home to prepare it for the long term — aka “aging in place” or “living in place” — is about more than adding grab bars or installing ramps, experts say. It’s about creating a vision for how people can occupy the space safely, comfortably and happily.
“We start aging as soon as we’re born,” says Marcia DuBois, deputy commissioner of the Division for Community Living within the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. “What can we do to plan for that? We plan for other things in our lives — it doesn’t have to be gloom and doom. People are living longer and healthier and more vibrant lives than ever before.”
Little changes can make a big difference in a home’s livability, DuBois notes: replacing twist doorknobs with levers, installing railings to offer support, enlarging doorways, and placing ramps and chair lifts to accommodate wheelchairs. Having a full bathroom and bedroom — or at least a place to sleep — on the first floor is also helpful, she says.
“Start with something small, so if something were to happen — like a fall — [modifications] would already be done,” she says. “Get a room ready to be a bedroom, and get the bathroom ready. Approach it as a bathroom upgrade.”
Leo Lantz, president of Leo Lantz Construction, says most of his customers are empty nesters planning to remain in their homes; virtually every project includes living-in-place elements, whether customers realize it or not.
“People are cognizant of staying in their own home as long as possible, especially with pandemic horror stories about how people couldn’t see loved ones in nursing homes or assisted living facilities,” he says.
Lower work surfaces and microwave drawers in the kitchen (Photo courtesy Leo Lantz Construction)
In the kitchen, Lantz says, the most common additions are drawer microwaves and lower work surfaces, set at a height of 30 inches instead of the standard 36 inches. Bathrooms are remodeled to offer zero-entry showers with benches, handheld shower heads and controls, and lever faucets. And it’s not just older adults who find these changes useful.
“You might have a rotator cuff injury or neuropathy in the hands, or knee or ankle surgery,” he says. “A lot of people wait until it’s a necessity to make an improvement, but an experienced home contractor has the expertise to make recommendations.”
Lantz, who holds certifications for aging in place and universal design, adds that the financial aspect isn’t as scary as people might assume. “For clients who need to finance these improvements, they’ve got equity they probably didn’t know they had,” he says. “Statistics show that [the approximate] cost of one year of assisted living will allow you to stay in your home five to 10 years.”
Tom Haines, president of Haines Construction, reminds owners they have to take the long view when it comes to investing in changes to their homes.
“You can’t think, ‘If I were going to sell in 12 months, would I get my money back?’ You have to look at it over 10 or 15 years,” he says. “You can invest much more than what the home is worth now, because over time, the house will appreciate.”
An in-wall toilet allows optimal seating height and ease of cleaning. (Photo by John Magor courtesy Haines Construction)
Haines, who is also certified in universal design, notes that early, careful planning conversations are essential. “The preliminary stages are about conceptual feasibility,” he says. “If you’re hiring me as your advocate, I’m going to tell you whether this house is ultimately a good fit or not.”
Haines recalls a recent project in which the first floor of a small row house in the Museum District was expanded and rearranged so that the homeowner, a single woman in her late 60s, could take full advantage of her space.
“We added 6 feet to the home, which doesn’t sound like much, but it allowed an addition that really changes the dynamic downstairs,” he says, noting that a previous project had remodeled the upstairs bathroom and moved the laundry room upstairs. “The awkward relationship she had with her home has now been remedied.”
DuBois says the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services’ Division for Community Living is a good source for information, and she notes that many people aren’t aware that the state offers tax credits to both homeowners and renters when they make changes designed to improve livability. Also, a local Area Agency on Aging will have prevention programs to support people as they manage changes in their bodies, whether age- or disease-related. The bottom line, she says, is to prepare.
“[Modifications to a house] are really improvements that benefit everybody in the long run,” she says. “They allow us to live more comfortably and more efficiently. It’s better for all of us to stay in our homes longer, [and] most of us would say we would prefer to live in our homes rather than elsewhere.”
