As older adults age in place and more households make room for multiple
generations, how will Americans respond to the home-improvement
challenge?
Two important housing trends are both emerging and merging today: Older
adults increasingly want to "age in place," while a record number of
households have united across multiple generations. The second trend is
in response to both the flagging economy and to support elder parents'
desire to stay at home.
According to AARP, nearly 90 percent of older Americans want to remain
in their homes as they age. But unresolved barriers to convenience and
safety at home can force them to relocate.
And while extended families were common until World War II, the practice
waned with more prosperous times. Now the multi-generational family
homestead is making a comeback. In 2008 a record 49 million Americans
lived in a household with at least two adult generations, according to a
Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census data.
If your home is reaching capacity, as family members band together, you
are likely faced with a home-improvement challenge. How can you
inexpensively accommodate additional family members under a single roof,
especially their need for added bathrooms?
One is never enough
Costly, messy and time-consuming conventional plumbing can leave
families stuck with a single shared bathroom. Fortunately, there is a
smart and inexpensive way to increase bathroom privacy and convenience
in any home, on any level including the basement, even in smaller homes.
Saniflo macerating toilet and plumbing technology lets you add a
complete bathroom with an up flush toilet; and there's no need for
expensive digging through the floor to install new drainage where none
already exists. If space is a problem, these bathrooms can easily be
installed in a closet or the area beneath a stairway.
The up flush, or above-floor plumbing system, is installed directly atop
any finished floor or on basement concrete. The macerating pump uses a
fast-rotating blade to reduce waste and paper from the toilet bowl,
sending it under high pressure through piping directly into the septic
or sewer system. Unlike sewage ejectors, up flush toilets involve no
storage of waste.
The sandwich generation
Baby boomers can get sandwiched in the middle of multi-generational
living, say gerontological nurse specialist Rosina Bloomingdale and
designer Genevieve Liesemeyer. Partners with Pillar Design in Mukwonago,
Wisc., the two women create designs that promote health and well being
in harmonious environments.
"Many boomers still have children at home and/or in college," Liesemeyer
says. "Some may have one or more parents moving in, too, while others
have adult children moving back in with them. Saniflo products can be a
real problem-solver in these cases."
Have a Gen X-er moving in with you? Why not add a basement bathroom?
Need to help grandma, so she can stay at home longer? Create a
ground-floor master suite with a full bathroom, so she won't have to
climb stairs. Whatever is motivating your modern multi-generational
household, with up flush technology, you can have a convenient extra
bathroom anywhere, even in smaller homes.
Self-reliance plus safety
Regardless of age, Bloomingdale suggests we all take steps to promote
mobility and independence, while increasing safety. One easy option is
to use bright LED lighting, which is longer-lasting, so there is less
need to climb ladders and step stools to replace them. Bloomingdale also
recommends keeping floor surfaces in good repair, removing tripping and
slipping hazards, and providing easy access to phones and other
essential equipment.
For homes with young children, the nonprofit Home Safety Council
recommends constant supervision. Other selected safety advice includes:
* Lock up medicines and other poisons.
* Keep water heaters set at 120 F to prevent scalds.
* Use toilet lid locks to prevent drowning.
You can learn more about low-cost, easy-to-install, above-floor bathroom
systems by visiting www.saniflo.com or calling (800) 571-8191.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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