Most people at retirement age do not want to downsize or move into a care home, but there is very little suitable housing for them says a report out this week from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
Unsurprisingly, the aspirations of older residents when it comes to housing choices are similar to everyone else’s: – being close to friends and family, having space for guests, living close to a green space and living in a nice area. The only difference is that their homes need to be more accessible and adaptable.
The GMCA goes on to say that is should be a priority to put programmes into place for those who actually just want to stay in their own homes.
This is where ‘rightsizing’ becomes the new option. In other words, getting your home ‘future proofed’, so it is the ‘perfect fit’ for you and the life you want to lead in your retirement.
In line with this need, assistive technology is becoming more and more subtle, attractive and attainable. Growing in demand and popularity in the UK, in particular, is a new wave of contemporary home lifts. Installed in under a day, they make your house completely accessible overnight. Unlike a stairlift, you do not need any help getting in and out of a domestic lift and once installed they plug straight into a standard domestic plug socket, so they are very economical to run.
People who have retired also want something practical, but they also want it to look attractive in their homes so combining design with technology is very important. It is also essential that the lift is easy to use so the user can move between the floors simply, independently and with confidence.
A home lift also needs to not take up abundance of space as it needs to be capable of being installed in a number of different locations in the home. Homeowners may also not been keen to give up precious floor space in their property and they may need it to blends effortlessly into the background of any room.
Providing a pleasure travel experience in the lift which is fast, smooth and quiet is also important. Most importantly, of course, from a practical sense, domestic lifts in the home can ‘transform’ someone’s life as they can allow that person to remain in the house they love.
The GMCA report explained that the vast majority of older people live in ordinary, mainstream homes, and they have absolutely no intention of changing that.
It highlighted the need to put plans into place which would allow anyone who wants to stay in their own homes to do so, before they reach a crisis point which forces a decision.
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