Aging, chronic illness or an accident-related disability can turn your home into a prison.
Homeowners can retain their independence longer when their retirement plans include preparing for accessibility issues, says Jason Stutzman.
As the construction supervisor for Brothers Redevelopment Inc.’s Home Maintenance and Repair Program, Stutzman overseas the remodeling of homes to improve the safety and access issues for low-income elderly or disabled residents. The Denver Post caught up to Stutzman to find out more.
When should people begin considering their home’s accessibility issues?
In their 40s and 50s. Even if you are in excellent health at 55, you need to be prepared for the potential of when you aren’t at 75 or 85. We would like people to start thinking about setting aside resources as they plan for retirement so they have the options to either move into an accessible home or apartment unit or make their own homes accessible for a reasonable cost.
What you have to do is imagine what it would take to navigate from the city sidewalk in front of the house, to getting to everything you need once you are inside the house.
What are the most common alterations you and your crew complete?
Wheelchair ramps, bathroom remodels and door widenings in bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens to address the basic everyday needs of getting in and out of the house and maintaining hygiene. A big concern in bathroom remodels includes installing roll-in showers, or “zero barrier” showers that a wheelchair can roll into.
What is the demographic of your clientele?
Our most common demographic is seniors, but (recently) we helped build a wheelchair ramp for a 6-year-old child who is a paraplegic. Individuals younger than 50 are often new to Denver and looking for a setup that addresses their disability. Most of the seniors we serve recently developed a disability related to age or illness, such as diabetes — the leading cause of amputations in our country — or (multiple sclerosis).
New trends are showing that as baby boomers continue to age and live longer, a higher percentage are wanting to retire and stay in their own homes as opposed to being placed in any sort of senior care. But in order to do that, people have to retrofit their homes to be accessible or move out of their two-stories into single-story homes.
What is more cost effective: retrofitting or buying a new, already accessible home?
It depends on the layout of the home. Single-level, ranch- style homes are the easiest and less expensive to modify. Three door widenings for the master bedroom, bathroom and kitchen, a roll-in shower conversion (and) an 18-to-20- foot ramp would run us between $8,000 and $11,000. …
If you live in a newer, tri-level home, it could cost $12,000 just to buy a stair-glide system that mechanically lifts a person in a wheelchair up and down the staircase. The more steps you have inside your home, the more (expensive) a retrofit becomes.
What is the No. 1 mistake people make doing DIY-accessibility projects?
An overwhelming number of well-meaning people think they can build a wheelchair ramp anywhere, at any height, with a 4-by-8 sheet of plywood leaned up to a door. But the slope of a ramp like that is often too steep, causing people in wheelchairs to roll down and further injure themselves in falls. It’s worth it to consult a professional who knows the state guidelines for safe ramp construction.
Sheba R. Wheeler: 303-954-1283 or swheeler@denverpost.com
