Adapting / Future-proofing house for older person

[MelanieWiggles]

MIL is in her early seventies and in recent years has had some health issues (back problems etc) which have meant her mobility is somewhat reduced. The family has decided (with her agreement naturally) that we are going to extend her house to build on a downstairs bedroom and bathroom as she is finding it more difficult to get upstairs. We may also adapt her kitchen or build on a utility room to house her washing machine (currently outside in the garage).

I was wondering if there is anything else we should consider doing at this point which will make her life easier in years (hopefully many) to come. If anybody has any advice or suggestions I would love to hear them.

There is a house design standard called Lifetime Homes which is for new builds but may give you some things to consider. It has 16 principle design considerations and is aimed at professionals but that doesn't mean you can't find some useful considerations. The website is here

Very obvious but put a wet room-style walk in shower wih grab rails and non slip floor in her bathroom and controls accessible from outside the shower, and try and create space somewhere outside with shelter and a charging plug for a mobility scooter. These two things have transformed my mums life, she is still fully independent at 94. Oh and get her a care line system in case she falls and get her to use it!

Grab rails are essential.
Make doorways wide enough to get a wheel chair or walking frame through.
Consider a wet room with a walk in shower, not a bath. Or, if that isn't practical, at least a shower with a large tray area and a seat attached to the wall and a flexible/adjustable hose so that it is easy for a carer to shower her.

OTOH, a stair lift is a lot cheaper than building an extension.

One thing I would make sure is that you discuss it all with her thoroughly before doing anything as we have found through experience that sometimes even with the best intentions that some adaptations are a step too far. How you see her life progressing might not be exactly the same as she does and pride needs to be very very carefully handled. I would go for adaptations that don't look too obvious or clinical.
It turns out that grab rails were too much for 90yo great granny however the decorative rail in the hallway & by the garden steps are fine IYKWIM.

I would say that careline/fall alarm is the absolute priority now. MiL was finally persuaded to have one and the peace of mind increase for us all (including her) is excellent. She isn't prone to falls (I hope!) but it is just such a reassurance. The bracelet can be worn in the shower, she wears it at all times at home and hasn't set it off in her sleep. Wonderful invention.

you should also install a keysafe outside to go with it. Put it somewhere not too obvious - the alarm company are told where it is and will pass on to the emergency services. I agree that the 'little old lady lives here' look is to be avoided if possible as it can be a slight burglar magnet.

shop around for the best price; in our area it is Telecare 24 at £120 a year (Ex vat, MiL has a blue badge) plus £45 for the box. They will come and install it but it is a quick job, you just need the phone line and a power point near enough.

Just want to say thank you to everyone who responded and apologies for my tardiness in replying. There is some really useful information here. The website was really useful - so much stuff we hadn't even considered. The care line alarm had never even crossed my mind but would be fantastic for all of us - will definitely look into it.

wonkylegs - I know exactly what you mean and am trying to be careful with this. She is very house proud and I could see her being upset about things like hospital-type grab rails. Some of the family can be a bit too forthright about what they think should happen, rather than considering her wishes - getting her to admit what she really wants though can be a challenge ! That being said, when we broached the idea of building on so that she could limit having to go downstairs she was really in favour of it - which makes me think things must be even worse for her than we suspected, as normally she would refuse help or anything which might put people out or cause expense

I suspect it will take some time for her to get her head around the idea of the changes but we will allow her that time. Our architect is fantastic (we used him on our own house), and will come up with loads of potential layouts which should allow her to choose what she feels comfortable with.

Thanks again.

I work in housing in a local authority and have some experience of adaptations. As another poster says, a stair lift could be an option. This would be our first consideration - is it technically possible? (sometimes the angle of stairs/headheight clearance means it isn't).

If its just not an option, then if going for an extension in the bathroom, I'd definitely go for wet room. the most common need for older people we see is for changing a bath to a level access shower or wet room. Also grab rail by the toilet. Think about the type of taps/toilet flush you use. Some are more difficult to use for people with arthritis etc. Lever taps in sink normally easiest. You might also want to get a door that is capable of being opened outwards in case she falls in the bathroom and you have to get in.

You might also want to raise the electrical sockets and lower the light switches - no bending down so much or reaching up. This is standard in our new builds for older people. You can also buy double sockets that have a switch at the outside of the socket than the inside - they are so much easier to use.
Look for trip hazards around the house and don't forget the outside too eg are there uneven slabs, potential leaf fall that gets wet and slidy etc. Falls are one of the main reasons for hospital admissions for older people so try to minimise the risk of that happening.

Adaptations don't have to been clinical looking. I've been to a few exhibition and trade shows and there is a whole range of styles and very useful ideas and products. Its a huge and growing market and there are loads of companies out there with good designs.