When you are transforming your apartment into a living space suitable for senior citizens, it is important to keep in mind a few factors like functionality, convenience, comfort and safety. While giving prominence to these factors, it is also crucial to focus on attractive design elements that can enhance the aesthetic integrity of the property. Wondering how to customise your apartment to suit the needs of the elderly? Below is a handy guide with all the essential design tips to turn your apartment into a senior-friendly living space:
Contents
Use Curvy furniture
If you are looking for the ideal type of furniture for an assisted living space, round and curvy patterns are the best pick. What is striking about them is that they soften the hard angles and do not occupy much of your moving space. Placing round tables at the centre will give you ample walking space. It is always a good idea to invest in curvy home décor accessories and place them at the centres across a table or a wall. Small-sized rugs also work well for living areas and dining spaces. However, sharp edges and glass elements need to be avoided while selecting furniture for a senior living space.
Go for optimal colours
Be it your furniture, wall paints or flooring, you must choose colour palettes that do not hinder the visibility during the day. The eyesight of elderly people always vary, and so improved visibility is an important consideration while designing an apartment suitable for assisted living. Colours play a huge role in creating a soothing living space for senior citizens. Neutral and warm lighting fixtures are the best for enhancing visibility during the night. To create a vibrant atmosphere during the day, you can opt for home décor accessories that have hues of green, yellow and blue.
Incorporate additional features to improve accessibility
Accessibility is yet another factor that you can’t miss out on while turning your apartment into an assisted living housing. You must ensure that there are no hindrances in the walkways like exposed wires and cables or unsecured rugs. To prevent tripping hazards, it is always a good idea to install cable management boxes or tuck the cords behind the furniture. The bathroom is an important area that requires adequate attention while customising your home for senior citizens. You can place a seat in front of the shower and washbasin for easy accessibility. Also, installing sidebars near the toilets will be of great support for the elderly.
Install home security applications
No senior living space is complete without adequate security and safety features. Some of the important security gadgets that can enhance the security of an assisted living space are burglar alarms, smart locks, CCTV cameras and home hazard alarms. Also, it is also important to incorporate ramps apart from elevators. This comes handy for the senior citizens during a power shutdown or natural calamities like earthquakes and fire accidents. Health emergency system can also be installed to facilitate a quick response at the time of medical emergencies.
Avoid slippery flooring
When it comes to the flooring of a senior living apartment, you must focus on flooring models that are not slippery. Marble and ceramic flooring might give great aesthetics for the apartment, but they might not provide sufficient grip for senior citizens to walk freely. It is always a good idea to incorporate vinyl or honed tiles that are water resistant, especially for the bathrooms. If you have flooring made of polished stone tiles, then the best way to make it senior-friendly is by placing a carpet over it. This provides adequate protection for senior citizens while walking. To enhance the lighting across the floor space, you can employ ambient lighting using different types of LED lights. Make sure the lighting system is evenly distributed across the flooring space to avoid glare.
Opt for built-in storage accessories
An excellent way to ensure adequate storage space for your senior living apartment is by using built-in storage systems. In this way, you can clear the walkways and avoid obstructions from standalone cupboards and shelves. For instance, a bed with storage space underneath gives you ample space for storing your essentials. Also, when you create storage spaces on the walls, it is important to avoid elevated areas of the room. This poses a threat for easy accessibility. Instead of having several storage spaces, you must try to figure out how you can get the maximum out of existing ones.
Every design element that you incorporate in an assisted living home must contribute to a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere for senior citizens. Looking for a senior living home in Chennai? Head over to Lancor and check out the exclusive range of senior living homes at the heart of Sriperumbudur. Known as Lancor Harmonica, these luxury villas and apartments are customised with the best of amenities and facilities.