Senior-Sizing a Home

Senior-Sizing a Home

What is meant by Senior-Sizing?

In a nutshell, Senior-Sizing means converting and repairing a home to where it is low maintenance and safe for occupancy by a senior citizen.

According to the Association for Advancement of Retired People (AARP), 89% of people 50 years and over wish to remain in their own homes indefinitely.

Some conversions and repairs that Senior citizens should consider:


Exterior Items:


Install permanent siding - Steel or plastic siding which requires no painting.

Install gutters with leaf caps.

Cut down, top, or cut back any large trees.

Remove or cutback any shrubbery that is near the walkways.

Mend or replace any fencing.

Install simple drop latches on gates.

Consider a professional lawn service for mowing the lawn.  In addition to mowing grass, many lawn services offer snow removal during the winter.

Inspect and repair/replace any wooden decks.  Particularly the undersides of the decks.  Decks with concealed undersides receive no maintenance there, and often have hidden defects such as cracked boards, dryrot, and termite damage.

Inspect any entrance stoop.  Repair any broken cracked stairs.  Ensure handrails are solid.  Install non-skid surface where possible.

Install garage door opener.

Replace entrance door knobs with a lever type of handle which can be easily gripped.

Install motion detection sensors on all external lights and in the garage.


Interior Items:


Eliminate clutter - Any item which is not being used on a regular basis should be placed in storage, a back room, basement anywhere out of the way.  This includes cabinets, tables and chairs, pots and pans, dishes.  Ample walk room should be allowed.  Nothing should be stacked in such a manner that it might fall.

Convert all ceiling lights to wall lighting, or to chandelier drop type of lighting.  The bulbs should be changeable by going no higher than the second step of a low step ladder.  Many hardware stores also sell a mechanism with an extended handle by which bulbs may be replaced while standing on the floor.  Ensure that all rooms are well lit.

In the kitchen, make sure floor surface is non-skid.   Many kitchen floor surfaces are non-skid when they are dry, but become very slippery when water or grease is dropped on them.  Replace if necessary.

Also in the kitchen, replace the two handled sink faucet with a single handle fixture.

Although it is expensive, there is a range hood sold which contains an automatic fire suppressant system.  This should be considered as a matter of safety.

Convert knob type kitchen cabinet and drawer openers to lever type handles for easier gripping.

Check department stores and hardware stores for slide out type of inserts to make the interiors of kitchen cabinets easily accessible.

Clear clutter off the top of counters to make clear access to items such as coffeepots, toasters, etc.

In the bathroom, replace faucets with single handled lever fixtures.

Install handrails on shower/tub walls and at the commode.

In the rest of the house, remove any small area rugs or throw rugs.  Remove tripping hazards.

Install handrails in hallways.

Insure that stairwells have handrails on both side of the steps.

Buy a cellphone or a battery charged portable telephone that the senior citizen can carry through the house.


The above is not an all encompassing list.  It is rather a guide.  Inspect the whole house for safety and ease of access.