8 Essential Home Features for Aging in Place
Americans are getting older. (I feel it — don’t you?) In fact, the Population Reference Bureau estimates that the number of Americans age 65 and older will nearly double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060.
Our aging population means that more solutions are needed to help seniors live well. Enter universal design, a concept that strives to make products and structures usable by everyone regardless of age, ability or other factors.
Many aspects of universal design complement “aging in place” — the idea that quality of life improves for seniors when they’re allowed to live safely and independently in their own homes.
But aging in place requires homes that accommodate our needs as we age. Here’s a list of eight design features buyers focused on accessibility are looking for based on survey data from the National Association of Home Builders’ 2021 “What Home Buyers Really Want” report.