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Repeat after me, “I am not getting older.  I am not getting older!  I am not getting older!!!”   There, did that feel better?  Denial works for me, but only for a while.

All kidding aside, we are getting older.  And we want to stay in our homes.  Why?  Selling is hard in many ways and the market isn’t helping.  Relocating and leaving friends is not easy either.  And moving is expensive,  a cross-country move for a three-bedroom home can cost as much as $8,000, which is just the tip of the iceberg.

If you remodel your home to support you as you gracefully age, then you have a choice of remaining in your home.   You retain control over your situation and you have more choices. 

There are three key areas to think about when designing your home for longevity:

• Level Entry–  The pathway from the car-parking to the interior of the home should be level or use ramps.
• Kitchen-  A kitchen that has rollout storage cabinets, counters with seating, and easy to use appliances and sinks can go a long way towards continued enjoyment preparing your food and cleaning up after.
• Bathroom- At least one bath in the home should have a safe way to bath with seating; seating at the counter and plenty of grab bars.    The look can be very clean and classy with a walk-in shower.

There are more details to consider, from widen doorways, all the way to adding a suite for a potential caregiver. You could take this step by step, or develop a master plan with your spouse or family.  First you must decide how long you intend to occupy your home.  Sometimes a crisis will force a short term home modification, which may be temporary.