It’a small world
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With these waiting lists and university affiliations (not to mention this reference to the big H), I feel like we need a chance-me thread to get in. 
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Yes, we can compete on blood pressure and cholesterol scores, the number of colonoscopies we’ve had, how expensive our medications are, how much (real) hair we sport, the number of countries we’ve traveled to and books we’ve read, how many grandchildren, how large our portfolios…etc.
Aging. It’s a blood sport.
(Back in the day, we did a parent chance me on the prep forum.)
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This is exactly the type of humor I was hoping for. This is why I am still here more that 15 years after I joined (I am on my second or third name).
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Thinking about priorities, which includes budgeting in retirement years.
With our anticipated next home purchase (to be near DD1/SIL/Gkids) getting input from various sources for ideas on ‘aging in place’.
Looked at NY Times article (and this is a gift link which you should be able to open). Some very good ideas with photos, specifically making the space not look ADA compliant. IDK how much help the decorative looking cord anchored into the wall on the left of the staircase as a second grab to the railing on the right is; I have trim like pictured, and I use it to help with balance/steadiness often when I go up the stairs and always use the handrail going down. In my garage stairs, I use the handrail going up the stairs and place my hand against the wall (with my left hand) going down. I had thought about having DH put in a second handrail on the wall of the garage steps, but find, at present, I don’t really need it. Even DH’s mother in her upper 80’s (and using a cane with walking) was able to rely on the handrail alone, and she also used her other hand on the wall at times on the way down the steps to steady herself. She used her cane in her right hand and the stair rail on the left going up the garage steps.
Ordered this book (mentioned in the article) and see if it has good ideas for me to think about when the time comes for us to look at homes in new city. “New Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Forever.” ‘What’s it about? Architect Matthias Hollwich presents practical design tips and creative ideas to transform aging into a fulfilling experience through smarter living spaces and community interactions.’
Aging in Place Doesn’t Mean Making Your Home ‘Soulless’ - The New York Times
Had some free time a few days ago and set up a spreadsheet comparing several apartments in my neighborhood. I looked at sizes, rent, other charges, locations,as well as features and amenities that were priorities to me. One building is now off the list, and one might be.
In the meantime, I continue to clear stuff out of my house ( for details see the Bag a Week thread). Even if I end up staying in my house for another 10 years, it’s stuff I don’t need/use or want.
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We used to have a lot more fun here. Just sayin’
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I’d love to see your research via PM if/when you are willing to share!
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Using the search term (in quotes) for “universal design” can help you find many resources, especially for homes that don’t look institutional. It’s possible to be in a home that is constructed with universal design principles that you’d never notice as it doesn’t look like what people think typically think of (e.g. hospital rooms or barebones nursing home facilities).
One can also think of it as being necessary just in the most fundamental areas of the home: the entrance, kitchen, bathroom/bathing, and one bedroom. (With a bonus for accessible laundry.)
We had an abrupt situation that forced these moves earlier than we’d ever thought about as a family, as my very active and healthy Mom had a brain aneurism at 64. In their late 50s my parents built their new home with Universal Design principles (e.g. all hallways and doorways were wide enough for wheelchairs and walkers; door handles were levers instead of knobs; the primary bathroom had a gorgeous no threshold shower and lots of space, as well as elegant yet wholly functional and anchored “towel” bars that were actually grab bars; and there was a no-step entrance available to the home, etc.). This was all so that in 20-30 years, when they were much older, they could age comfortably in place.
Well, after the aneurysm she was in a wheelchair for about 2 years, then a walker, then walking comfortably without it, and her rehabilitation was made all the more possible by the fact that she wasn’t stuck in a den with a hospital bed, and grappling with an inaccessible bathroom. She was able to be anywhere in their home and always with the family. They were extraordinarily fortunate to be able to make these choices with their home, and it was devastating that she needed to use those planned features decades earlier than they ever thought possible. She also has cognitive and speech deficits that persist to this day and she can not drive, or handle finances.
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LOL - We used to be a lot younger, not as consumed by serious stuff (beyond college topics). But your comment does remind me of a fun memory yesterday when trying an old oximeter. It was one I had used with my mother in her last months in 2020, and I thought it was lost. The darned thing takes forever for me to get a reading, as it did for her (both with a tendency for cold hands). When I could not get a reading on her, we used to laugh and joke she must already be dead. Well now that I’ve typed that out, it does not sound funny at all. But trust me, we giggled a lot over that darned little device 
. (At then at the health clinic, the nurse had to try 3 oximeters before they could get a good reading O2 reading on Mom. We felt vindicated that nurse struggled too.)
@SOS - your linked article was interesting. We actually have a splendid place in our 2 story family room for one of those little free standing elevators - would go up to 2nd floor hallway. Not sure we’ll ever do that, since the house has upkeep headaches too. But it has been kindof fun to joke about it as the backup plan with my husband and kids. (We do have a downstairs bedroom and bathroom too… but upstairs in nicer.)
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Oh my gosh. Just realized that I have been here 23 years! I joined this forum when DD was 17, and she just turned 40!!! Yes, we did have fun here, and worries, and angst….and now, I realize how eh….it would have worked out fine for any number of colleges she might have attended.
And now back to retirement….going on 6 years. We are living next door to DD and family and 12 minutes away from DS and family. We built our just-under-1000 sq foot house last year and love it. It definitely does not have wheelchair friendly capabilities, unless it’s that super narrow size wheelchair they use on airplanes…. But I had a spinal surgery 5 weeks ago, and I realized that the small size of the house is a big benefit. Our bed is in a narrow room with only 15 inches between the walls and king bed on each side. (Doesn’t feel claustrophobic. It has 9ft ceiling, clearstory window above bed, and two large windows on the wall.) I was able to roll up to sitting and brace myself on the wall to stand up from the bed. Likewise, the narrow hallway allowed me to balance against the wall, and to get supports from open kitchen counters, nearby table, chair back, etc.
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Neat that you are close to your family, and interesting about your home.
I joined CC in 2012, after I had my treatments for aggressive cancer. A good friend kept me informed on specifics on CC. DD1 entered college in 2012 and DD2 entered in 2014.
DH and I are now 69. Enjoying retirement, social media, thinking ahead and pacing ourselves out in our go-go years. Feel pretty good about having enough for retirement, although I do need to do some work on investments as well as pull some 401k funds out, as we are in low tax years and preparing to have level out with coming RMD years.
I have ridden in the model of elevator shown in that article. It would not accommodate a wheelchair, but I imagine there must be options available that would fit a wheelchair.
The couple I know who installed it did so as a very last minute decision while renovating their home. They are in their late 60’s and their house has a steep set of stairs up to the front door. The elevator runs from the garage up to the second floor. They are both very fit but are happy they have it for the future.
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We envision a square one I’ve seen. Or maybe even a more temporary arrangement. I actually have not measured the family room corner to see if big enough for wheelchair (without fireplace mantel interference)
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I would still have the issue of two to four steps up from any of the three entrances to my house.
So interesting to read about these different approaches.
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We have one step into to the garage, which I suppose could be ramped. The elevator idea works better for when stairs become a drag than wheelchair. But like I said, not sure we’ll stay - just pondering various scenarios.
In contrast, my Dad has 3 long SETS of stairs to get down to his garage. Worse, there is no bathroom on the kitchen/livingroom level of his quad level house. Ha, makes my house look REALLY good for aging.
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I noticed steps up to some of my friends’ houses - they have a few steps and a landing, and one has a turn and more steps (older home) while the other has just a few more steps to the front door (brand new home). Our home’s front has a flight of 8 or 9 steps with a handrail. Our former neighbor caught his foot on his few steps before the landing, and overcorrected from falling forward, and ended up falling back, hitting the back of his head hard on the concrete. Two areas of brain bleed but after being in the hospital a few days under neuro observation (and very little to eat because if he needed surgery, that would happen) he was able to go home. I asked the ER MD (he was transported from that hospital ER to a hospital with neuro/neurosurgery) if he doesn’t actively bleed, would they do surgery or would the body reabsorb - and it seems the body will reabsorb since he didn’t need surgery. He actually waited a day after the fall, but due to back pain (from his neck, nothing broken so they gave him a cervical collar) he wanted to get checked out at ER. MRI showed the brain bleeds that at that point were not active. While in ER waiting for transport (hospital 100 miles away but excellent medical center) I purchased a phone charging cord. DH drove him home from the hospital when he was discharged. This couple continues to maintain both this home and a second home (3 BR condo on the water about 5 hours’ drive) - and they have since been to the beach home and back again. The wife is dependent on the husband, and thankfully his situation did not end up worse - they are both 79 (no family in either home locations).
So if you are going down the stairs and lose your balance (and going to fall) IMHO try to get on your bottom and protect your head. If you stumble up steps, just fall forward and protect your head as best you can. Really concentrate on the stairs when you have no handrail.
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I had spinal surgery 8 weeks ago and am getting better every day. I am in Brazil on a pro bono project. All seems to be going well. I am hoping that you have the same experience.
Our house is built on slab. We have one step up. Hopefully that one step won’t be a problem for a long time.
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Oh, that is an awful story.
The ‘safest’ solution for me would be to add a handrail to the three steps from the mudroom into the kitchen. I enter the house via the garage anyway so this would be a quick fix. Town building code required a handrail in order to obtain the C.O., but I had it removed, fearing that toddlers would walk into it. Toddlers are long gone!
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Impressive that your father can still handle the stairs. Hope he continues to remain safe.
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