Home remodeling and modifications are tools you can use to create functional and beautiful homes for your family.

Most people don’t realize that through home remodeling, you can have the home that helps you in your daily life. It can make your life easier and more enjoyable. Healthy Home Living Solutions provides consulting in the Frederick County, MD area about changes you can make to your home, so it is easier for you to live in … now and in the future.

Home remodeling & modifications

At Healthy Home Living Solutions, we can assist you in adapting your whole house, or remodel just specific areas of your home. Regardless of whether you are an older adult wanting to age in place, someone with a specific physical need or you just want a home that’s easier to live in, we can help. We help our clients increase the ease of use, safety, and accessibility of their homes by working with a remodeler to ensure you have what you need in your home.

Accessible bathrooms

Accessible bathrooms are one of the most common types of projects we consult on. There are a few reasons for this, but the most important one is that the bathroom is the place where most accidents occur.

One-fourth of people over age 65 will fall every year. And, once you fall, you double your chance of falling again. By focusing on accessibility, we can help remove the obstacles and situations that can cause a person to fall. We achieve this through good design, based on years of experience in accessible bathrooms.

We combine our decades of experience in Occupational Therapy and accessibility to inform how to make a person’s home easier to use and safer. This will work for everyone, regardless of their age or abilities.

We understand the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements for accessibility. We can use ADA guidelines and Universal Design, but we also tailor our recommendations to each individual client and their unique home.  We can then consult with remodelers or builders to customize your home to meet your needs.

Accessible bathroom features

Some of the accessories or features your new accessible bathroom could have, include:

• More open space
• No-step (walk-in, roll-in shower) or handicap accessible bathroom shower
• Comfort-height toilet
• Lever or touch faucets, shower controls and door handles
• Water pressure control and anti-scald devices
• Grab bars (ADA compliant and/or installed to meet your specific needs)
• ADA bathroom sink, sit-down or roll-under vanity
• Hand-held showers, adjustable shower heads
• Shower seats, built-in shower seats, shower transfer seats

We can consult with you and your remodeler to help you all understand the best options for your bathroom and your lifestyle. We can show you how to choose the right accessible bathroom features, including the right shower (handicap roll in shower, barrier-free shower stall) to the best type of flooring to suit your needs and home.

We also can help you source and purchase the right accessories to compliment your new accessible bathroom.

Accessible kitchen design

Having an accessible kitchen means you’ve turned your existing kitchen into a place where you can more easily prepare meals for yourself and your family. In addition to it being easier to use, you’ll also be able to get to the things you need for everyday life.

We understand ADA kitchen requirements, and know that whether you just want your kitchen to be easier to use, or you want a wheelchair accessible kitchen, that good design and the right features are the key to success.

A few of the features and accessibility products your new accessible kitchen could have, include:

• Multi-level counters
• Seating at kitchen island (wheelchair accessible kitchen island)
• Roll-under or sit-down kitchen sink (wheelchair accessible sink)
• Lever handle or touch faucets
• Open space
• Roll-out and/or pull-down shelves
• Wheelchair accessible kitchen cabinets (ADA compliant kitchen cabinets)
• Universal Design appliances
• Work spaces
• Task lights, more kitchen lighting

If you live in the Frederick County, MD area, let us consult with you on how to create an accessible kitchen in your home.

Home additions

With the growing trend of multi-generational homes and aging in place, home additions are becoming more and more popular. They can make sense for families caring for older parents (or other loved ones), where you need safe and accessible bedrooms and bathrooms.

Specifically, home additions can be used to create a fully accessible master suite. These master suites (mother-in-law suites or in-law suites) can give you the space needed for a bedroom with plenty of open space, a walk-in closet (and additional storage space), as well as a fully accessible bathroom.

Exterior Remodeling

Being able to get around the outside of, or get up to, your home is an important part of home accessibility. By modifying the right things on the outside of your home, you can make those things easier, as well as make them safer for everyone to use.

Healthy Home Living Solutions can consult with you to ensure that you are updating or adding features to the outside of your home that are right for you. These could include:

• Consulting on options and design
• Adding or improving the transition between the driveway or sidewalk into your home
• Walkways
• Exterior lighting (sidewalks, paths, ramps)
• Ramp installation (modular, custom built)
• Barrier-free walkways
• Vertical platform lifts.

Barrier-free walkways

One feature that is gaining in popularity are barrier-free walkways. These walkways are essentially ramps that don’t look like a ramp. Typically, they are constructed of concrete or pavers, with a design that matches the style of your home.

The barrier-free walkway is created to help you have a greater level of accessibility into your home. This design feature makes it easy for anyone, of any age or ability, to travel safely into your home. So, it would work equally as well for both a visitor using a wheelchair or somebody walking up to the door. The reason they are becoming so popular is that they look great and hide the accessibility in great design.

We make home remodeling easier on you

As Occupational Therapists, Certified Aging in Place Specialists, and Aging Life Care Managers ® we are experienced in helping people adapt their environments to their capabilities. That’s why we are uniquely suited to help you create the home you need now and get ready for the future. Through our consulting services, we can make the whole process easier for you, while ensuring you get exactly what you need to have a home that is safer and more enjoyable to live in.

My goal is to help you keep living the life you want in the comfort of your own home.

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Occupational Therapist, Aging Life Care Professional, Aging in Place Specialist