In the next series of blog posts,  I will walk through the rest of your house and gardenwith you and offer some thoughts and observations to consider along the way. Mold your space to you and your preferences before you find yourself bending and contorting to its limitations.

 Leaving your bedroom and heading to your living and dining rooms, do you have stairs  on the way.  Or maybe later on your way to another room.  Is there a hand railing on both sides of the stairs– yes, of course you think– of course not I say – there are no standards in public or in private – the configurations are all different  Good thing you’re up for a challenge most days.  Laugh out loud as you consider how much money the architect and/or designer was paid to figure this out safely?  Does it look nice?  Good – design objective achieved, now be careful and think one step ahead of your next step at all times as you navigate those gorgeous design features.

You could have a Hand rail on the right side for half a flight and the left side for the other half, like I do.  For me, this means  I step normally down one flight and side step my way down the other.  Something to know and remediate now if you find this awkward ( it is, but it doesn’t bother me enough at the moment to change it).

Lets go down those stairs now and do some laundry.  How is that setup?  Can you reach everything.  Adjust as necessary or just make some notes  for later.  How does your dirty laundry get itself to your laundry room? How does the clean get back to your closets? You could have a chute installed.  If you are considering building your dream house now for retirement, include that chute and a dumbwaiter to transport the clean stuff back upstairs into your plans.  We had an elevator at our house in Toronto and at the time thought it a bit pretentious but I now understand why one might want such a convenience in the day to day living in a four storey townhouse.

Back upstairs we stroll to your living and dining areas.  Do you have area rugs? are they firm on the ground or do they slip. I often catch my foot on the edges of mine which makes for a nasty tripping hazard.  Get a no slip mat under all your rugs now.  Speaking from experience this is a production best tackled and completed before the effects of aging set in.  Getting it right is tricky and time-consuming.  Take a walk around the floor and observe your surroundings and decor. Step out to a deck or balcony – is it a small step or big one.

Here’s a thought. Get yourself a hiking pole ( it’s what I use rather than a cane) and try walking around your house with it , including stairs.  This will be a good approximation for how you may be navigating after your hip or knee replacement.  Or try using a walker to get around. It’s likely harder than you think so please be careful – think one step ahead at all times, stop chit-chatting with your friend and concentrate on the task at hand.  This is how accidents happen  You think your situation can’t get any worse – You are sooooo wrong.  A twisted ankle or a broken arm will make your life infinitely more miserable.

Think about your comfort and convenience everywhere you go. Once it takes you 10 or 15 minutes to get to your office from the den, maybe you might want to keep a sweet little blanket in your office in case it gets chilly there. Small things really but with a little planning you can ensure you maintain your accustomed high level of comfort and happiness wherever you are in your beautiful home.  I keep a couple of magazines on my upper deck,tucked between some pillows should I decide to sit outside and need a little something to occupy my mind.  And there are several blankets and throws within easy reach should I want one.

 

Do you have a chair  that is yours alone – purchased for you and calibrated over time for your use and comfort? Or do you share one with your spouse or Significant Other? My husband purchased me a recliner about a month after I left the hospital and I’m sitting in it now, Thursday night,as we watch Battlestar Galactica on Netflix and I write this blog for tomorrow’s post.  It’s very comfortable and it reclines so I can move around, changing positions to keep all my parts awake and not stiffening.  I also have an Obus Forme back rest that I use with the chair now and then.  A blanket is an arms reach away.  You’ll want a side table with this setup to rest your green tea or water bottle on

Your Private Space

Continue walking around your house with your pole,  cane or walker noting how things are working for you.  Can you reach your fireplace mantle or high shelves for candles and matches?  How is your lighting?  For reading?  Do you have a room for yourself – a wee bolt-hole to get away from it all where you can be alone and un-disturbed should you choose?

If you don’t consider for a moment which room in your house may be re-purposed for this.  I love my wee office (it used to be a main floor guest room), with pretty things, candles and such where I can go and be quiet, un-observed, alone, doing whatever I want, whenever I want with a door I can close, but rarely do.  My husband has his own office above the detached garage (its also a Media Room that he had custom built to his requirements a few years ago.)

Part 3 tomorrow, will be about  kitchens, Part 4 on Gardens and outdoor space and I think Part 5 will be about pets