You love the idea that your husband and your children want their grandmother to move into your home. At a family meeting where you discussed retirement and nursing homes for your mom, you were both surprised and thrilled that the rest of your family thought moving your mom into your home was a great option. Your oldest son explained that he simply could not see his grandmother in any of the retirement villages in the area. Your daughter said that she certainly could not imagine grandmother living in a nursing home. Even your husband explained that he already knew how to build wheelchair ramps for stairs if those would be needed some day.
What otherwise would have been a difficult move into an expensive care facility has turned into a family project of adapting your current home. With the help of some local contractors, the back entrance to your hoe has been modified with wheelchair ramps for stairs and other mobility ramps. Although your mother spends most of her day simply using her walker, getting her in and out of the house is much easier if she uses the wheelchair. And while the bathroom that she will be using has required some extra modifications, these have all been changes that the family was willing to make so that your mother can live more comfortably.
Are You in the Process of Modifying Your Home to Make It Handicap Accessible?
Whether you are making changes to your own house or to the home of a parent or grandparent, there are many standards available to help you achieve your goals. From information about installing handicap door opener buttons to installing a medical lift chair, understanding the American Disabilities Act standards can provide you with the guidelines that you need.
Consider some of these facts and figures about the reasons that so many Americans are making modifications to their homes:

• Seniors will account for roughly 20% of the U.S. population by the year 2030.
• 48% of homeowners over age 55 say the bathroom is the top area in the home that they have considered modifying for aging in place, according to HomeAdvisor’s 2016 Aging in Place Report.
• 71% of home service professionals say the top aging-in-place projects they have been hired to do include installing grab bars, according to HomeAdvisor’s 2016 Aging in Place Report.
• 54% of home service professionals say the top aging-in-place projects they have been hired to do include adding entryway wheelchair ramps, according to HomeAdvisor’s 2016 Aging in Place Report.
• An older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall every 11 seconds.
• 90% of people over the age of 65 want to live in their home as long as they can, according to the American Association for REtired Persons (AARP) and the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Modifying your home with wheelchair ramps for stairs and other mobility aids may be simpler than you imagined if you work with a contractor who is experienced in making these changes.