As you approach retirement, you want to be sure that your home is going to support your changing lifestyle and help you live well as you age. These tips for homeowners will help you assess what might need to be altered or upgraded in your home to ensure it provides maximum comfort, safety, and enjoyment long after you’ve retired.
Assessing Your Needs For Retirement
Your home may seem ideal right now, but circumstances, health and mobility can all change quickly. Consider the size, layout and location of your current property. How far are you from your support network? Are there amenities nearby? Will it be easy for you to keep doing the things you enjoy, even if your mobility reduces?
Try to think long-term and ask yourself if your current home will still be ideal in two, five or even ten years time.
Enhancing Accessibility and Safety
We all hope to spend our retirement years in good health but it’s an unfortunate fact that our health can begin to decline as we age, mobility issues can be more prevalent and falls become increasingly common, particularly after the age of 65.
Even if you’re generally fit and well, knowing your home is safe and accessible can give you peace of mind that you won’t struggle, for example, if you had an operation and needed to recover at home or if you had an accident and had reduced mobility for a time.
Here are a few factors to consider when it comes to accessibility and safety in your home:
- Your home’s exterior – are there steps or a ramp? Is there a handrail? Do you have outdoor lighting?
- Once inside, is your home on multiple levels or all on one level?
- If you have stairs, are these fitted with secure, non-slip flooring? Is there a handrail and suitable lighting? Is there adequate space for adaptations such as a stairlift if this was required?
- How wide are the internal hallways and doorways in your home? Could a mobility aid such as a walking frame, rollator or wheelchair fit through?
- Are your floor coverings, such as carpets and lino, secure? Do you have lots of rugs around your home that might easily become a trip hazard?
- Is the flooring in your bathroom and kitchen non-slip? Could you have grab rails fitted or upgrade to a shower tray or wet room to reduce the risk of slips and falls?
Updating Essential Systems
Heating, plumbing and electrics are the bones of a good home and you’ll want to ensure these are in good working order and make any repairs or upgrades before retirement as most people experience a dip in income after giving up work.
Additionally, as we age, we lose body heat more easily and become more vulnerable to the cold so it’s vital that your home has safe, efficient heating systems as you move into retirement. Measures such as adding or increasing insulation in your home can help but can be costly. However, financial help may be available through the Energy Company Obligation.
Creating a Low-Maintenance Environment
While it’s true that you may have more free time after retirement, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll want to spend it all on household chores, DIY or gardening!
Making your home and outdoor space as low-maintenance as possible will make it easier for you to keep on top of everyday tasks even if you later experience ill-health or reduced mobility. Choosing materials and surfaces that are easy to clean makes housekeeping less arduous and outdoor landscaping can be simplified to make maintenance easier.
You might even want to consider switching up the layout of your home or rearranging, removing or replacing furniture. Creating more open-plan or multi-function spaces in your home to suit your new lifestyle and everyday routines can make your living areas more comfortable and convenient as you age.
Financing Your Renovations
There are lots of options when it comes to financing your home improvements for retirement including using some of your savings, taking out a personal loan or utilising equity release. To understand how much capital you could free up for your renovation projects, consider using an equity release calculator. This tool can help you estimate the amount of money you can access from the value of your home.
Retiring from work is a big step and comes with a lot of changes. Knowing that your home will serve you well whatever the coming years might bring will give you peace of mind and allow you to get on with making the most of your new-found freedom and living well after retirement.
