HandyPro of Central Jersey Offers Tips and Top Home Modifications for Safely Aging At Home

JACKSON, N.J. - 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 New Jersey, those costs are higher, averaging $6,650 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 home 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.

"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 cost of one or two years long-term assisted living," said Alan Gamble, owner of HandyPro, Central New Jersey.

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 and no step showers
• Improve accessibility to the outside with wheelchair ramps, handrails, and vertical platform lifts
• Replace old floors or tile with slip-resistant flooring
• Renovating the house for "first-floor living" by creating a new bedroom and/or bathroom on the first floor
• Adding wheelchair-friendly vanity cabinets
• Installing a stairlift for those who want multi-floor living
• Installing a vertical platform lift if there is not enough space for a wheelchair ramp
• Adding smart lighting and walker steps

"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 Gamble.

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/central-new-jersey.

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 Central New Jersey is licensed by the state of New Jersey.