As we age, it’s more important than ever to be able spend as much time outdoors as we can. Staying in your family home is important to you. Which is why you’ve made those changes that make it easier to access cupboards; installed eye-level appliances to reduce bending and reaching; and removed furniture pieces you no longer use to free up more space to move around.
But what about the pathway to your front door? Is your patio not as enjoyable now that it’s a battle to get out of the Adirondack chair? Do you have difficulty navigating the steps from the backdoor to the backyard? Here are some ways to create senior-friendly outdoor living spaces that you will enjoy throughout the year.
The Benefits
Benefits of creating outdoor living spaces for senior citizens aging in place that are easy to maintain and enjoyable to use include:
- Enhances mobility
- Prevents accidents
- Reduces stress
- Improves mental health
- Stimulates the senses
- Boosts energy
- Encourages socialization; discourages isolation
Make Surfaces Level
Gravel pathways, cracked cement patios, or worn decks are examples of uneven surfaces that might cause a person to trip or fall. A small dip in the lawn on their way to the bench by a treasured flowerbed can spell disaster due to changes in depth perception, balance, and muscle strength. Make surfaces level and keep them free of debris, clutter, and obstacles.
Accessibility
If there is a wheelchair, scooter, or transport chair in your household, install a ramp to make entry doors more accessible. Another option to make your home accessible for seniors with mobility issues but don’t require a wheelchair is to gently slope the path to the front steps.
Install handrails along pathways, stairs, and ramps to improve outdoor safety and encourage going outside more often.
Pathways
To make the front yard easier to navigate and the backyard more accessible, widen pathways for safety and ease of movement. Use materials such as bonded rubber, textured cement, and slip-resistant pavers. For seniors who use a walker, ensure pathways are continuous and constructed of concrete, interlocking brick, or smooth asphalt.
Create a Backyard Oasis
Outdoor spaces often require a lot of home maintenance, lifting, and moving items around. Ways to create a backyard oasis for seniors aging in place are:
- Implement a landscape design that engages all five senses
- Build raised beds and plant container gardens to make gardening easier
- Install an automatic sprinkler system
- Add a mix of different types of lights to your outdoor living spaces – solar lights along paths, string lights on a patio or deck; motion-sensor lights for after dark
- Consider a patio cover, shade sail, pergola, or retractable awning if a deck or patio gets too much sun
- Select outdoor furniture that is sturdy and seating that has firm cushions, armrests, and comfortable, supportive backs
Create a Curb Appeal Front Yard
Essential elements of landscape design for a senior-friendly front yard with maximum curb appeal include:
- Quality products and materials – they might cost more up front, but they will last longer
- Low-maintenance flowers, shrubs, and trees
- Places to sit by the front door, next to the garage, or nearby a standalone mailbox
- Focal points of interest to you – a bird bath, humming bird feeders, koi pond, mini water feature
- Border edging that is flush with the pathway – raised edging can be problematic for older people
Ensuring that your property will age with you is the ideal way keep living in the home you’ve come to love and depend on.
