As you enter retirement, there are many things that you have to think about. One of the most important considerations is where you will live. This decision can be complicated because not all retirement communities in Gary, IN, are created equal. Some may have more amenities and services than others, meaning each has benefits and drawbacks. The floor plan is another factor that can help determine your comfort level in a home or apartment building after retiring from work. Even though every community may look similar on the outside, they can differ greatly in interior design and layout—and these differences matter! To help ensure that your next home or apartment meets all of your needs as an aging adult with mobility issues, here are some tips for finding the right floor plan:
Consider Safety Features
One of the most important considerations when choosing a retirement community is safety. A safe environment is essential for anyone with limited mobility or difficulty getting around, especially if they live alone.
Safety features vary greatly between communities, so it’s essential to research what kind of safety features are available in each community before making your final decision. Some common examples include:
- Handrails and grab bars in the bathroom and showers. These are critical for anyone with limited mobility because they allow people to quickly get up from sitting without losing balance or falling over (which could result in injury).
- Emergency call buttons that residents can press if they need help immediately, such as during an emergency evacuation or fire drill–or simply when they want someone else around!
Look for Designated Living and Dining Areas
In addition to a designated living room, look for communities with designated dining areas. This will help you avoid making your way through hallways and stairs whenever you want to visit someone or attend a community event. It’s also a good idea to find out if rooms have special accessibility features like roll-in showers, grab bars in the bathroom, or wheelchair ramps leading up from the parking lot.
In addition to finding out about these things before moving in (or even before visiting), you must know how the care team handles mobility issues once you’ve decided where you’d like to live. If no team members are trained in assisting those who need help getting around–or even just helping them move items from one place in their home into another–this could become quite problematic later on down the road!
Enlarged Bathrooms
While most people think of the kitchen, dining room, and living room when looking for a new home, it’s important to consider your bathroom. If you or someone in your family has limited mobility and needs extra space to bathe or get dressed each day, then an enlarged bathroom is vital. That way, there will be enough room for an adult wheelchair user to turn around inside without hitting anything on either side of them! The best option would be a walk-in shower where they can easily access their wheelchair without having to transfer out of it first (or get someone else involved).
Extra Storage Space
If you have a lot of stuff, finding the right floor plan for your needs will be easier if you know how much storage space you need. There are several ways to determine this.
- Ask yourself: How much stuff do I have? How much more will I be bringing with me when I move into the community? You may even want to list everything that could come with you and find out how much space they would take up in the unit or units that interest you.
- Contact other residents already living there and ask about their experiences with storage space in their retirement community homes. This will allow them to tell their stories and answer any questions during your visit, giving them another chance to show off all their photos!
