A kitchen in a universally accessible home.
Aging in place is a goal of many seniors, for good reason. A reverse mortgage is one product that can help seniors remain in their homes, but if mobility concerns are an issue in a house that is not senior-friendly, aging in place can still be difficult. Now, some recent developments have come together nicely to make aging in place a little easier:
Suffolk County in Long Island, NY recently ammended its housing code to state that any affordable housing built with county funds must incorporate accessible design. Such design concepts include no-step entryways, 36 inch doorways and passageways, and an area in showers for grab bars. Other mentioned features include homes with elevators already built-in and doors that open with levers, not knobs.
While accessible design can help people of all ages in cases of accident, disability, or injury, it is an especially important issue within the senior community. If a property is built in a universally accessible manner, it is less likely that a senior would be unable to live there as they get older. According to Judy Pannullo, Executive Director of the Suffolk Community Council, it costs only $700 more to build a house with universal design principals, though the cost of renovating an existing home to conform can be much higher.
Finally, programs such as the HECM for Purchase program make it easier for seniors to purchase new homes, including those that might be more accessible than their previous homes. The HECM for Purchase program allows seniors to buy a new home providing only a down payment and paying for the rest using the home’s existing equity. As a result, they have no mortgage payments during their time in the home.