Jason Robie: Here are some advantageous adjustments to your home to accommodate aging

For those of us basking in the luxury of pre-half-century ages, the inevitable is lurking just around the corner. Heck, for lots of us, it is right on the proverbial doorstop. It’s the scourge of old age. I need to be careful how I choose my words today; at 47, I’m no longer a spring chicken. I start my days with 20 minutes of yoga and stretching (honestly, I don’t know how anyone over 40 starts their day without it!). I need that time to “wake up” my body, loosen everything up and prepare for the day. For what it’s worth, I strongly encourage you to try it!

A couple weeks ago, I lamented my lack of cross-training and the penalty (in sore quads and calves) I paid for two days after the hike. Another thing this highlighted for me was the inevitable desire to live on one floor. Two flights of stairs are just torture when your legs are aching. Fast forward a decade or two and those stairs become more than “ouchy.” They become downright dangerous. If you throw in the mix any sort of assist device for walking (cane, walker, wheelchair, etc.) the stairs quickly become obsolete. Beyond the stairway, there are a handful of other considerations for those making the decision to age at home. I’m a huge proponent of aging-in-place so let’s see what modifications could be made around the house to make this more feasible.