“Older Homes Present Many Challenges & Opportunities For AIP Improvements”

In creating aging in place solutions for our clients, the homes themselves have as much, and sometimes even more, to do with our recommendations than the physical needs of the occupants of those homes. While people may have balance, stamina, coordination, mobility, reach, range of motion, vision, hearing, or other issues that affect how well they can use their space and what accommodations will need to be made for them to function better in that space, the way those homes are created and built may be the central focus.

Any older home, but especially those built in the middle part of the 20th century – from the 1930s to the 1960s – have some great architecture and generally were built quite well. That’s why they are still quite livable and usable today. It’s just that the lifestyles and needs have changed significantly from when those homes were originally designed and built. 

That was a different time in more than just the calendar. People lived differently, building products and furnishings were different, people had different needs and requirements, and they had different expectations from what they wanted and demanded from their homes.

Compared to today, people had fewer design choices in terms of the types of doors, cabinetry, countertops, hardware, lighting, flooring, finishes, appliances, and fixtures. The lever handle was non-existent. The barn door concept was not available although pocket doors were used.

The countertops were mostly laminate – not the granite, quartz, onyx, glass, copper, concrete, ceramic, and other choices available today. Clearly, LED lighting had not been created so ceiling fixtures were located in the middle of most rooms with incandescent bulbs as the norm. Fluorescent bulbs were used in some kitchens, closets, and bathrooms. In general, homes were not as well lit as they can be today, and it was much less energy-efficient to keep the lights on.

Flooring choices were generally hardwood – until people started covering them up with carpeting, as well as linoleum – and then vinyl tiles, and terrazzo. That evolved into ceramic and a few other products, but recently we have seen so many changes with laminates, engineered wood, polished and stamped concrete, marble, travertine, porcelain, slate, stone, bamboo, cork, and several other hard-surface or durable products. 

Older homes had narrower doorways and hallways because of the economy or space and because people just didn’t require them to be any larger than they were. Walkers didn’t exist as we know them today until the 1970s so mobility was different in that era. People generally weren’t as large physically as we see today. Also, people didn’t necessarily expect to remain in their homes as they aged as much as we do today although many aging parents moved in with their adult children and grandchildren.

Air conditioning was not original equipment in these homes. Window units or central air may have been added, but the homes did not come this way because the technology was not there. There are still homes of this vintage without central air conditioning.

Of course, electricity requirements were much different then also. In addition to air conditioning not being available in most homes, technology did not exist like today so there were no home computers, copiers, digital TVs, gaming stations, surround sound systems, security systems, and other low-voltage products. Obviously, there was no Wi-Fi although that easily could have been added.

Electrical service generally was 60 amp service as compared with 200-400 today. Portable hair dryers, microwaves, toaster ovens, pool or spa heaters or pumps, clothes dryers, ranges, and many other electrical appliances weren’t available then so the electrical demand wasn’t required either. Rather than the breaker panels that are commonplace today, fuse boxes with glass fuses were what was used. 

There are so many opportunities to widen doorways and hallways, replace windows and inadequate lighting fixtures, redo kitchens and baths, and focus on other areas of the home, that we can make a huge difference in the way people live in and enjoy these older homes – before we even look at any specific physical needs or requirements they may have themselves.