House Plans For Aging In Place

As we age, our needs and abilities change. For many people, this means making modifications to their homes to make them more livable and accessible. If you're planning to age in place, there are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing a house plan.

Universal Design

Universal design is a set of principles that can be applied to the design of homes to make them more accessible and usable by people of all ages and abilities. Some of the key principles of universal design include:

Equitable use: The design should be usable by people with a wide range of abilities.
Flexibility in use: The design should be able to accommodate different ways of using the space.
Simple and intuitive use: The design should be easy to understand and use, even for people who are unfamiliar with it.
Perceptible information: The design should provide information that is easy to see, hear, and understand.
Tolerance for error: The design should be forgiving of errors, such as accidental bumps or spills.

Accessible Features

Some of the specific accessible features that you may want to consider in your house plan include:

Wide doorways and hallways: This will make it easier to move around the house with a wheelchair or walker.
Accessible bathrooms: This includes a roll-in shower, grab bars, and a raised toilet seat.
A first-floor bedroom: This will allow you to avoid having to climb stairs.
A kitchen that is easy to reach and use: This includes lower countertops, pull-out shelves, and easy-to-open cabinets.
Well-lit rooms: This will help to reduce the risk of falls.
Non-slip floors: This will also help to reduce the risk of falls.

Other Considerations

In addition to the specific accessible features that you choose, there are a few other things you should keep in mind when choosing a house plan for aging in place. These include:

The size of the house: You don't want a house that is too big or too small for your needs.
The layout of the house: You want a house that has a good flow and that is easy to get around in.
The location of the house: You want a house that is close to amenities and services that you will need, such as grocery stores, doctors' offices, and pharmacies.
The cost of the house: You need to make sure that you can afford the house and the modifications that you will need to make to it.