What should be considered when building a new home for old age?

The children have long since left the house and the rooms are empty: many older people are daring to take on the project of building a new home once again. However, since housing requirements change significantly in old age, several criteria should be considered when building a new home. Accessibility is just one key term here.

Location selection and infrastructure

Especially in old age, the desire arises for a quiet residential location with a view of greenery. Nevertheless, good infrastructural connectivity should be kept in mind when building a new home. Daily necessities stores and doctors nearby are important location criteria.

The connection to public transport is also an important factor when choosing a plot of land for the new build, so that mobility in old age is ensured. However, the social connection is particularly not to be underestimated: family members, friends, and nice neighbors in the immediate vicinity who can help out in everyday life or in an emergency give older people a sense of security and protect them from social isolation and loneliness.

Architectural measures

During the concrete planning of the new home, there are already several criteria regarding the floor plan that should be strictly observed. For example, a bungalow offers barrier-free and threshold-free accessibility to all living spaces, and a floor-level shower in the bathroom is practically standard. Instead of steps in front of the front door and into the garden, it is better to create a gently rising, ramp-like path. In doing so, it must be ensured that this path is at least 150 centimeters wide and does not exceed a longitudinal slope of six percent. Straight but slip-resistant paving is suitable as a surface covering, including on driveways and terraces.

Generously proportioned rooms with plenty of space for movement offer enough room if you later depend on a wheelchair or walker. Therefore, it is better to avoid narrow hallways as well as tight niches and corners during planning. A door width of at least 80, or better yet 90 centimeters, is recommended. Sliding doors are not only particularly wheelchair-friendly, but also a versatile alternative. Install electrical outlets and light switches only at a height where they can be reached from a seated position. DIN 18040 specifies a height of between 85 and 105 centimeters above the finished floor for the wheelchair-accessible operation of light switches, electrical outlets, window handles, etc.

An unobstructed view of the outdoors, not only for wheelchair users, is provided by low windows and transparent balcony railings. In age-appropriate new construction, therefore, functionality is required rather than architectural sophistication.

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Interior features

Age-appropriate design can also be ensured indoors. Parquet, tiles, laminate, or linoleum as flooring are particularly suitable for wheelchairs, whereas carpet is less suitable due to its increased rolling resistance. In any case, the flooring should be slip-resistant to prevent falls. Suitable tiles and PVC flooring are available for this purpose from specialized retailers.

Instead of several large windows that let in a lot of sunlight, planning for the elderly should focus more on adequate lighting. The enormous intensity of daylight strains the eyes over time. High-contrast wall coloring also helps relieve eye strain, and by the way, not only for the visually impaired.

Modern technology offers just as many options for equipping a new build to be age-appropriate. Electric roller shutters and window openers, as well as motion detectors, even indoors, are just a few examples.

Mortgage financing in old age

If you want to realize the dream of building a new home at an advanced age, you should think about the financing early on. Sufficient equity should be available, after all, the new house also has to be paid off and must not pose a financial burden in old age. However, anyone who sets up a building society savings contract early and saves enough does not need to worry about the financing later.

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