Flat for a senior – what should it be like?

The autumn of life has its own rules and often requires a change of long-established habits. This usually stems from somewhat poorer health and the specific needs of an older person. For this reason a flat for a senior should be arranged differently from one for a single person or a young married couple. How should it be arranged to make it comfortable and functional?

A flat for an older person – is it worth buying or renting?

If your parents or grandparents are no longer coping in their current home, it is time to think about changes. This applies above all when they have lived all their lives on an upper floor of a block of flats without a lift, or in a large house.

Even the most comfortable home may become inadequate in the autumn of life. Climbing the stairs to the fourth floor becomes a real challenge, and regularly cleaning a house with several floors – an impossible task.

It is worth looking for a property for sale or rent that will perfectly meet the needs of an older person. The choice is very wide, so you can easily find a flat (for a senior it will be a better option than a house) with features that will give grandparents or parents comfortable living conditions.

What should a flat for a senior be like?

When looking for a flat for sale or rent in which an older person will live, it is worth adopting somewhat different criteria than when buying a property for yourself. Above all, you need to be aware of the limitations that come with age. These may be difficulties in getting around, habits that are not so easy to change, or the need for easy access to certain places in the city (e.g. a clinic, a pharmacy or a local shop).

Here is what to look out for first and foremost when searching for a flat for a senior.

Convenient location

Here it is worth considering a basic question – is the senior willing to move a little further away from where they live now? Older people are very often deeply attached to their district, estate or even street, and a change of location may be hard for them to accept.

In such a situation there is no point in forcing grandparents or parents to move to another part of town. Such a move may mean a real revolution for them and make it harder for them to find their feet in the new situation.

If, however, a change of location is not a problem for the senior, it is best to find a flat near their relatives, who will be able to visit them. If this is not possible, it is worth making sure at least that the grandparents or elderly parents are quick and easy to get to.

The ideal area for them is one where they will find everything they need, that is:

• shops (preferably smaller – local ones),
• medical facilities,
• a church (if this is important to them),
• a park or a place where they can relax in the fresh air,
• public transport stops, if they use public transport on their own.

It is best if the estate or district is quiet and offers friendly neighbours.

A ground-floor flat or one in a block with a lift

This is an extremely important matter. Flats on the third or fourth floor in buildings without a lift are best ruled out right at the beginning of the search. For many seniors, staying as independent as possible is what matters. If they cannot climb dozens of stairs, they will become "prisoners of the fourth floor", which will certainly lower their quality of life.

Being unable to spend time as they wish, for example being unable to go to the shop or for a walk, can be extremely distressing for seniors, and can even cause depression.

If an older person does not leave the flat on their own, a high floor will not be a good option either. Think of situations when you will have to take the senior to the doctor or even do a big shop for them. The lack of a lift may become a serious obstacle.

Arranging the flat to suit the senior's needs

When furnishing a flat for an older person, you should above all pay attention to areas that may be problematic in everyday life. This applies in particular to the bathroom, which deserves special attention.

A comfortable bathroom for a senior should be equipped with:

• a shower cubicle, preferably a walk-in one (that is, level with the floor), which is easy to step into or even enter in a wheelchair,
• a seat in the shower cubicle, preferably wall-mounted, which will make it easier to shower unaided,
• grab rails fixed to the walls, which will help maintain balance,
• non-slip floor tiles, which will prevent falls,
• low-level cabinets, shelves and hooks, which will keep all the necessary accessories within easy reach.

It is best to do without rugs and runners of any kind, because older people very often trip over them and lose their balance. This applies to the whole flat – not only the bathroom.

A flat for a senior should above all be safe and comfortable to use. It is worth responding to the needs of an older person and making changes that will help them feel better within their own four walls.