HandyPro of Metro DC Offers Tips and Top Home Modifications for Safely Aging At Home

BETHESDA, MD, D.C. - March 18, 2024 - PRLog -- Trends show most older adults want to stay in their homes as they age. An AARP Study shows 77 percent of adults 50 and older want to remain in their homes long-term.

Aging at home makes financial and emotional sense for many. For some with disabilities or who are aging, the best solution is an assisted living facility. Assisted living comes at a cost. Genworth Financials' Cost of Care Survey reveals the average monthly cost of an assisted living facility is $4,500. In Metro DC, those costs are higher, averaging $6,000 monthly. Aging-in-place allows individuals to stay in the communities they know and love and could be a better financial alternative for many on fixed incomes.

Most homeowners don't know their homes can be modified, allowing them to age in place and maintain independence.  A professional can easily execute many modifications to create a safe and comfortable place to live. HandyPro is a CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist) and CHAMP (Certified Home Assessment and Modification Professional) contractor.  These certifications ensure that contractors have the essential skills to execute proper home modifications for aging-in-place and for people with disabilities.  HandyPro of Washington DC has an on-staff occupational therapist to help with project design and an engineer overseeing all projects.

"Often, we find the cost to upgrade a house to make it more suitable for a senior to age-in-place is less or the same as the cost of long-term assisted living," said Ali Soltani, owner of HandyPro of Washington, DC.

Based on HandyPro's decades of experience, many seniors make the following home modifications to allow them to safely and comfortably age in place:

• Modifying bathrooms with grab bars, enlarging and no step showers
• Improve accessibility to the outside with wheelchair ramps, handrails, exterior stair lifts, automatic door openers, and vertical platform lifts
• Replace old floors or tile with slip-resistant, wheelchair-friendly flooring
• Renovations for "first-floor living" by creating a new first-floor bedroom and/or bathroom
• Widening doorways and adding smart lighting
• Adding wheelchair-friendly vanities, cabinets, or countertops
• Installing a stair lift for multi-floor living
• Install Durable medical equipment, such as a shower chair or bench
• Install overhead ceiling lifts for safer repositioning or transfers, reducing injuries to caregivers or persons with mobility challenges

"The majority of homes we see are not appropriate for aging seniors. They have safety and mobility issues that need to be addressed. Who you hire to install these modifications is equally important. Improperly installed modifications can cause additional safety and mobility issues, which can be avoided by hiring a company like HandyPro that is certified and trained," added Soltani.

HandyPro has experienced professionals who can provide assessments, installations, and ongoing customer service support for any installation or remodel. For more information on HandyPro's aging-in-place services, visit https://www.handypro.com/locations/washington-dc.

Since 1996, HandyPro has provided home modification and handyman services in Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. HandyPro of Washington DC is a Maryland, Virginia, and DC licensed remodeler.