Retirement is something that many professionals look forward to. After all, once a person has retired, they’re more than free to do what they wish with their time without having to worry about work the next day. Whenever the term “retirement” is thrown around, some people immediately think about selling their home and moving to a new place to start anew. However, according to replacement windows and home improvement experts, more and more seniors are actually opting to retire in their current homes instead. This phenomenon is known as aging-in-place.
As the name implies, if a person decides to age in place, it means they’ll be retiring in the home that they’ve loved and lived in for so long. However, for such a plan to be sustainable, homeowners must first make a few modifications around their homes and usually, most homeowners start with their windows.
In this article, home window repair expert Window World of Boston discusses the features you should look for in an aging-in-place window.
Privacy
Nowadays, one can’t be too careful when it comes to home security and as such, apart from looking for a window that’s hard to break, home improvement experts say that you should also look for windows that offer increased privacy if you intend to age in place. Thankfully, there are plenty of window options that you can consider today for privacy purposes. These include acrylic blocks with decorative patterns, decorative windows, or even films that you can apply to the glass to create a frosted or patterned look.
Alternatively, if you want something a bit more high-tech, home window repair and replacement pros say that you can always opt to install a window with smart glass technologies instead. That way, you can lighten or darken the tint of the window with a simple push of a button on your remote control or smartphone app.
Ease of Operation
For seniors, movement is often limited. If they aren’t confined to using a wheelchair or a walker, seniors who can still move on their own still need to be careful so they don’t accidentally injure themselves when doing tasks around your home. If a senior has a window that’s operated by swinging inward or outward, they may injure themselves when operating it. With that in mind, if you intend to age-in-place, it’s highly recommended that you obtain windows that are easy to operate such as sliding windows or windows with simple, smooth cranks.
For assistance and advice in finding an easy to operate window for your aging-in-place plans, simply turn to the window and door installation professionals of Window World of Boston.
Low-Maintenance
Similar to the window operation, high maintenance windows can also be a pain to deal with, especially for seniors. After all, to clean your windows, you’ll have to create your solution, use a few cleaning items, and in some cases, you may even have to remove some of the window components just to properly clean the window. Therefore, if you have plans to age in place, don’t hesitate to consider replacing your old windows with better, low-maintenance one like vinyl frames. That way, your windows can be cleaned with little to no effort and frequency, making life easier for you as a senior.
Other Aging-in-Place Modifications to Consider
Of course, installing replacement windows aren’t the only modifications you can make around your home if you intend to age in place. After all, you’ll want to be able to enjoy the entirety of your home if you decide to stay there even after your retirement. For instance, you can install grab bars and bathroom heat lights around your bathroom for extra safety. With these two modifications, you can see around your bathroom much better and avoid slips and falls as you bathe at the same time.
On the other hand, if you want to be prepared for the possible event that you’ll have to use a wheelchair in your senior years, you can also consider installing outdoor ramps in your home. By doing so, you’ll have an easier time entering and exiting your home even in a wheelchair. Apart from the aforementioned customizations, improving your home’s lighting, replacing your round door knobs with lever-style handles, and upgrading your flooring are other aging-in-place modifications that you can also consider for your home if you plan to stay in your current residence for your senior years.
How to Find the Right Contractor for Your Aging-in-Place Modifications
Aging-in-place modifications are complicated home improvement projects that you should never do on your own. As such, you should always hire a professional to do the job for you instead. That way, you can avoid mistakes that can be costly to fix. But how exactly does one find the right contractor to modify your home and make it suitable for your aging-in-place plans?
Well for starters, you can always turn to your friends, family, or neighbors who recently had some work done on their homes. That way, you’ll have references on home improvement contractors who are as trustworthy and reliable as they claim to be. Alternatively, if turning to others isn’t an option, you can always use the Internet to find the right contractor instead.
If you opt to find your home improvement contractor on the Internet, experts recommend that you find ten contractors around your area and take note of them. Afterwards, be sure to check these contractors out on websites like Angie’s List or the Better Business Bureau to see their reviews and check if they have a history of unresolved complaints from previous clients. This should help you further narrow down your contractor choices. Once you’ve done this, you can now meet your top choices and receive estimates from them and pick a contractor who not only has good credentials but also an estimate that suits your current budget.
Looking for someone who can help you modify your home for aging-in-place purposes? Look no further than Window World of Boston. When it comes to window and door installation projects, we are the leading service provider to turn to and we won’t let you down! With nearly 25 years of experience in the home improvement industry, we are dedicated to giving homeowners nothing but the best products and customer service. You can rely on us! Give us a call at (508) 845-6676 or fill out our contact form to get in touch with us and request a FREE estimate today!
