6 Kitchen Remodeling Ideas That Can Make Life Better for AIP Seniors

No matter whether you are a part of a big family or not, the kitchen will always be one of the most significant parts of your home. Many people consider their kitchen the most important room in the entire house, where they can prepare their favorite foods and family gatherings. However, kitchens should be designed with the age of its users in mind. This is due to the access challenges that many aging seniors face when attempting to reach upper cabinets or when they are required to reach the very rear of lower cabinets. The routine use of the kitchen can cause greater risk and challenges as we age.

It is not reasonable to expect an aging senior to climb a latter to reach something in the upper cabinets of the kitchen. A fall caused by reaching can be fatal or permanently disabling. This is why homeowners should have their kitchens evaluated if they are seriously considering aging in place in their current homes. We intend to share a few ideas of how remodeling a kitchen can help those seniors choosing to age in place.

The Kitchens Location Matters

The kitchen of a home should be centrally located in the floor plan of the home where a senior family member can access it easily. It should be on the same floor where people spend most of the time. If your kitchen is not located conveniently, an evaluation by a CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist) should considered to reduce possible risk exposures as the senior ages.

Position of Dishwasher and Sinks

Dishwashers and sinks are the two most widely used components in a kitchen. These components locations can be adjusted to a spot where the dishwasher and sinks are convenient to use without effort or incident. Increasing the height of the dishwasher can be a good option as it can make the process of loading and unloading much easier. You can also adjust or relocate the kitchen sinks to create proper heights to make them more user friendly. Open area cabinet tops such as a roll-under sink counter top can be a good option for an individual in a wheelchair.

Install Easy to Use Appliances

Consider installing easy access kitchen appliances that make use much easier for seniors, while making the appliances use safer and more efficient. Seniors should avoid appliances that are not equipped for universal design use. This is due to the user friendly features that universal design provides such as functionality and accessibility. Appliances with universal design features are designed for users with limited accessibility and mobility restrictions. They are becoming much more common and widely available for purchase at traditional appliance vendors.

Doors and Drawers

While designing your kitchen, you must keep in mind that the kitchen will be used by children and seniors. Keeping these people in mind, using “D” shape pulls or handles will be a good option for the doors and drawers and will allow the senior a much easier grip when opening doors or drawers. A bank of drawers can be challenging for seniors and those using wheelchairs in a kitchen.

Upper and Lower Cabinets

You should consider designing the kitchen with a larger number of lower cabinet and equip them with pull out shelves. The planning use of lazy-susan device can be very helpful in reaching deep into base corner cabinets. Creating a walk-in pantry can reduce the need of cabinets and are more cost effective than cabinetry. When planning routine access to upper cabinets, all efforts should be used to avoid placing deeper lower base cabinets directly below, restricting the ability to reach deeply into upper cabinets.

Call a Kitchen Remodeling Service Provider

It will save you money and time by using a CAPS Kitchen Remodeling expert early in the design process. They will bring the owner value in the evaluation assessment and can provide a wealth of design ideas and construction insights for remodeling your kitchen. Aging at Home remodeling are restoration professionals and expert kitchen remodeling service in Houston market with years of experience. Aging at Home provides a wide range of services related to kitchen design and construction. This specialty contractor is known for offering excellent customer service at reasonable prices in the remodeling industry.