Home adaptation, modern technology & co.: tips from our expert J�rgen Griesbeck.
The quality of life in our later years also depends on our living environment. Our own home stands for quality of life like almost nothing else - at any age.
If we feel socially welcome and integrated in our living environment, we can feel safe and, last but not least, successfully manage our everyday lives and thus also realize our ideas of a fulfilled old age. It is therefore important to think in good time about how and where we want to live into old age.
Most people would like to live autonomously and self-determinedly in their familiar surroundings. After major changes have already taken place - such as the end of a career or children moving out - mobility can decrease in old age and the need for assistance can increase.
Here, the previous living environment is a safe constant. We want to maintain this quality of life for as long as possible. For many people, it is therefore an unpleasant idea to have to swap their familiar surroundings for a retirement home.
What does "age-appropriate living space" actually mean? First of all, it refers to the furnishings of the apartment or house. The focus here is particularly on accessibility. For example, a senior-friendly bathroom can be installed at an early stage or the bedroom can be moved from the second floor to the first floor.
A property is age-appropriate if it has level access or suitable aids that also allow people with restricted mobility to enter via ramps, stair lifts or similar. It is also important that doors are wide enough to allow people to move between rooms with the help of a rollator or wheelchair, non-slip tiles, an easy-to-use toilet with an ideal seat height, a wheelchair-accessible washbasin and grab rails in the bathroom, individually adjustable wheelchair-accessible work surfaces and easily accessible cupboards in the kitchen. In addition to various other co-financing options, KfW Bank provides special loans and grants for age-appropriate conversions and home renovations.
The use of ambient assisted living (AAL) products, i.e. digital technical aids, can also increase comfort and safety and make communication easier. In addition to suitable technical AAL equipment, a connection to a local care service can be arranged if necessary, which can be quickly and easily contacted in an emergency. You can see sample apartments on the Internet that clearly show how AAL aids affect everyday life.
In recent years, interesting opportunities have also been developed in this context to improve the need for human interaction. First and foremost is the "Living for Help" project. There is also assisted living at home or the possibility for those already in need of care to initiate a residential group in their own rooms.
The pme Familienservice provides comprehensive advice on these topics to employees of its contractors and can provide active support in the realization of individual plans.