“Aging-in-Place Trend Likely to Stay Strong”

If you are a “Boomer” and you want to retire and stay in your existing home for as long as you can, you are in good company.  A recent study by AARP revealed that more than eight in ten Boomers ages 45 and older-and effectively nine in ten people 65 and over reported that they want to stay in their current homes for as long as possible.  For most of the respondents, their main motivation for this “aging in place” was that they liked their community and what it has to offer them.  Two  thirds of all respondents said that being near friends and family and being near grocery stores, doctor’s offices or other important places was extremely or very important to them.  Being within walking distance of churches or other social organizations was also very important.   As it turns out, most Boomers currently live in homes with at least two of the key elements of comfortable living:  a full bath on the main level of the home and a bedroom or room that could become a bedroom on the first floor.  Boomers planning remodeling projects to their existing homes should include a few tweaks to their key rooms and entrances to make their home more user-friendly for anyone at any age or ability.