With the cost of retirement home expenses going up on a yearly basis, many people are getting comfortable with the idea of having their aging parents move in with them. In-home medical care may still be needed, but if you are able to take care of your elderly parents' room and board directly, you can keep your expenditures way down. If you already have a room all picked out for your parents to move into, the last major alteration you will likely need to make to your home lies in the bathroom.

Determining What Modifications You Should Make To Your Restrooms

If your parents are in need of assistance when going up and down the stairs or getting in and out of the car, they will appreciate using bathrooms that support their limited range of mobility. Installing support rails around the toilet will make it easier for your aging parents to use the facilities in the middle of the night without needing to call for help as well as during the day when the house will likely be empty. With walk-in tubs, the elderly can thoroughly clean themselves without straining themselves or feeling anxious when they have to exit the bathtub. If your parents have previously been relying on shower chairs, your newly installed walk-in tubs will allow them to fully relax while bathing again.

Ease Of Entry For Walkers And Wheelchairs

When wheelchairs and walkers are relied upon, many lifestyle changes and considerations have to be made. In addition to widening the doorways to your bathrooms, you should look into walk-in tubs and shower head attachments. Your parents may be getting older, but they still would like to do as many of their daily tasks unassisted as possible. If all of the bathrooms in your house feature walk-in tubs, your parents will be able to wash their own hair, get themselves in and out of the tub and even thoroughly dry themselves off after bathing.

Walk-in tubs can provide your parents with a bathroom environment that is comfortable and inviting, and they will gain more confidence in their ability to care for themselves. You may also need to lower the towel racks so that everyone in your household can easily grab a clean bath towel, but if you make all of the important major changes prior to your elderly parents moving in, the transition will be manageable. Some changes that you make to the setup of your bathroom will require the help of a bathroom remodeling contractor, but you will be getting a great deal compared to paying for retirement home expenses.