It’s never too early to begin thinking about retirement. For most of us, that means opening a retirement account or rejiggering our investments, but few appreciate the many benefits of getting an early start on designing the home in which we want to live out our retirement. Along with a growing move toward aging in place, and related design practices and materials, a “forever home” can pay dividends long before we send that resignation letter to our employer.
In the past, designing for seniors and those entering retirement tended to involve a narrow set of requirements focused on questions of mobility and safety, such as stand-up bathtubs and wider doorways. It was a necessary but cheerless activity aimed at mitigating risk, with little concern for large questions of quality of life. And in many cases, such designs didn’t even clear the bar of making life for retirees more convenient or secure. Today, however, new designs that focus on forever homes are improving safety and making them more livable and enjoyable. This …