What Makes an Ideal Retirement Home?
Baby boomers?are very particular about the kind of home they want for their retirement years. While there is clearly no single style that will satisfy each of their individual tastes, people who have reached their retirement years want something that will perfectly suit their retirement lifestyle. As such, they would definitely want to see the following features in their next home.
Essential Features of Ideal Retirement Homes
One floor living. The older set clearly prefers having the master bedroom, kitchen, living room and laundry room at the main level since it makes things a lot easier for them.
Larger kitchens. A large kitchen with ample eating spaces is definitely a must in every retirement home since seniors enjoy cooking and entertaining. ?
Wider doors and hallways. Let’s face it. These people may need to use walkers and wheelchairs in the near future so they will need their homes to be very accessible.?
Bigger windows. Retirement homes need to be brightly lit to compensate for the homeowners’ dimming eyesight. In addition, they will also need easy-to-open windows to make things easier for them.?
Home office. A lot of seniors choose to continue working during their retirement years. Since most of them will work from home, they will need a dedicated home office to suit this purpose.?
Flex space. Most seniors will also love the idea of having a flex space that will serve as a guest room or a hobby room.
Low maintenance exteriors and landscaping. Most seniors don’t want to be bothered with maintenance work so they would really appreciate having low maintenance exteriors and landscaping.
Technology-equipped homes. When it comes to technology, seniors are as interested as younger homeowners in equipping their homes with Wi-Fi connectivity, structured wiring and lighting controls. They also prefer Energy Star- rated appliances.
Garage. While most seniors will be giving up their second car, the more adventurous ones will definitely need a space to store their ATVs and motorcycles. They may also love to have automatic garage door openers for added convenience.?
Security. Personal security remains a top priority for most seniors, especially since they may be travelling for extended periods of time during the winter.
In addition, older homeowners might be into the following:
- Bigger bathrooms with bathroom aids such as grab bars
- Ample storage space
- No-stair entries
- Private patios and/or porches
- Nearby service stations (housekeeping, on-site health care, transportation and home maintenance and repair)
Most seniors consider their retirement years as their second shot at life so they would like to enjoy it to the fullest. With a retirement home that suits their personalities, they can live life the way they have always wanted.
