Can I Age In Place With Stairs?

[Boho]

My cousins, in their 60s but not yet 65, recently sold their house and moved into a two story condo with a bathroom and bedroom on the ground level. One of them told me that they could have had an elevator installed but they're not as reliable as...I think he said building elevators. I live in a building with elevators that are out of order sometimes but I never thought of the consequences of that in a house. Single level is clearly the best option.

 

[harley]

My in-laws are in their mid-80's and their bedroom is on the second floor. So far they don't seem to mind. The same situation applies to my parents. One observation with both my parents and in-laws was that they started to slow down and tire more easily when they reached their early 80's. So as long as you stay in good health you should be okay for the next 30 years in a two story home.

Again, the bedroom isn't the issue. IMO the only bathroom being on the second floor is a deal breaker. Something as simple as a broken foot could result in some messy pants, at least for the first week. That's a long way to go when you are having trouble moving. A broken hip or something serious, I don't even want to think about.

I'd have that house on the market tomorrow. But people do their own things for their own reasons.

 

[Katsmeow]

I live alone in a 2 floor house. All three bedrooms and the only bathroom is upstairs. To get upstairs, there is a 13 step narrow, carpeted staircase. There really is no room to add a bathroom or bedroom on the main floor.

This does not sound ideal to me, really not acceptable at all. When I was about your age I broke my ankle. I lived in a 2 story house but my bedroom and bathroom was on the first floor. And, I had DH to help me so it was OK. I could not have stayed there at all with your set up due to the lack of a bathroom.

I do personally feel it is safer to age without stairs. The stair chair are perhaps acceptable for people who have no other alternative. I have a friend whose mother lives with her and she has a stair chair. However, the stair chair is slow and sometimes her mother just walks up and down the stairs due to that. She did fall once (was not seriously injured but could have been).

I would not live in a situation where the only bathroom was upstairs so I would definitely move from where you live now. And, if I was moving, then I would move somewhere without stairs. If there were no other options except places with stairs then I would look for a place where the master bedroom, bath, and kitchen were all on the main floor and didn't require stairs. That is, I would be Ok with having little used rooms on the upper floor if there were no other good alternatives.

 

[pjigar]

I have always been too paranoid about everything. I am 45 and we are moving to a single-story house soon. My thinking was move to a future proof house when I have time, motivation and option to do it. To each of their own.

PS: We did lot of features in this house keeping the wheelchair in mind (no steps, wide doors, curb-less walk-in shower, etc.). I know too early and unnecessary but it was easy and cheap to do during the whole house renovation.

PS2: Only other data point I have: My aunt who passed away at 67 always wished they had a bathroom downstairs. My uncle finally had the renovation done and added a bathroom downstairs at 70. They are in London so moving to a single-story house is VERY expensive.

 

[DrRoy]

We wonder about this occasionally. DW will say that she would like to have a ranch some day, but we have done and spent a lot to make this house just as we like it. We do have a 1/2 bath on the ground floor. I always say that is the stair hand rail is not enough, we could get a stair lift. A quick search said the typical cost is $2800-5000. Beats moving to me.

 

[Ronstar]

I had some mobility issues following my recent foot surgery and my broken ankle several years ago.

I handled the stairs fine after a little practice. But the shower presented the biggest hurdle. The slippery surfaces are tough when standing/ walking is compromised. If/ when the time comes, I will consider adding grab bars in the bathroom before addressing the stairs.

 

[pjigar]

Yes, there are lot many more factors to consider before moving. For us, we wanted land for our homestead and I wanted to reduce ongoing recurring costs of property tax, utility and upkeep of a large house. Moving from 5500 sqft to 2400 sqft.

 

[DayDreaming]

My mother is 88, living by herself in a house with stairs. It makes me nervous but she's doing fine so far.

 

[Koolau]

Our bldg. has 2 elevators. Knock on wood - we've never lost BOTH except for the few seconds it takes to transition to the building's generator (we lose local power probably half a dozen times a year for minutes to an hour.) We have friends who's elevator (their apt. was on floor 7) was OUT completely for 6 weeks. That would NOT have worked for DW. In a true emergency, DW can get DOWN the emergency stairs (on her bottom - looks hilarious but I have NEVER laughed!).

We would not consider a place with stairs only. Just would not work but YMMV.

 

[sengsational]

If you look at locations in the world where people live long and healthy lives, they live on a hill side and walk to the market every day. Keep walking the stairs as long as you can do so with reasonable safety. You can add mechanical assistance as needed if safety (not comfort or convenience) becomes a real problem.

 

[Music Lover]

Walking up and down the stairs in my house with dumbbells is one of my workouts.

That being said, I'm pretty handy and would build a half bath on the main floor simply because I would want a bathroom on the main floor.

 

[Al in Ohio]

One day in your not too distant future (5-10 years I’d guess) the ability to climb those stairs will drop off all of a sudden. That’s how it got for both me and my wife. For some it seems to almost happen overnight. For others it might be more gradual. I would not plan on staying there past age 60 imo.

 

[jollystomper]

If you look at locations in the world where people live long and healthy lives, they live on a hill side and walk to the market every day. Keep walking the stairs as long as you can do so with reasonable safety. You can add mechanical assistance as needed if safety (not comfort or convenience) becomes a real problem.

+1

DW and I have thought about this as we have 3 finished levels plus an attic. But in our early 60s we focus more on staying healthy and doing lots of walking and moving about. As was also mentioned, it is a good regular workout. Losing 20+ pounds since retirement has also helped.

 

[REWahoo]

How likely is it that someone waits 9 years after registering and posts 70+ times before spamming us? And what is the value of spamming a product not available in the US?

Call off the dogs...

 

[latexman]

Can I Age In Place With Stairs?

IMHO, no, so it’s a matter of when to make the move and to what.

 

[rodi]

A few thoughts on this.

Our previous next door neighbors were in their late 80's with a 2 story house. Her hip joint disintegrated (literally just fell apart). They put in the stair chair. Stairs weren't an issue.... until they were. They moved to assisted living less than a year later. (He had dementia, she had the hip issue.)

My dad, when he downsized in his early 70's, bought a two story townhome. Bedrooms up. He ended up needing ankle surgery/reconstruction and would not be able to navigate stairs. Fortunately, he'd met/fallen in love with my stepmom and she had a single level house... He moved in with her and sold the townhome.

20 years ago my MIL sent my FIL out to pick up some coldcuts from a neighborhood deli. He stepped off a curb a block from the 3 level row house... broke his hip. Due to a variety of circumstances was wheelchair bound from that point forward. Steps to get to the main level. Basement (which could be entered without steps from the alley) wasn't finished and pretty icky. His hospital bed and toilet chair were set up in the dining room until they could move to a single level house.

All 3 cases, stairs worked well... until they didn't.

We plan to downsize to a 'lock and go' condo (to reduce maintenance and provide freedom to travel). One of our prime requirements is 1 level living. We will consider places that have a guest room or loft space... but master has to be on the main living level and that level must be ground floor or the floor must be reachable by elevator. We have other requirements - but that is the one we feel is non-negotiable. DH is 69, I'm 59... both in decent shape. If it's in a multilevel building, we'll use the stairs (rather than elevator) till we can't... just to stay in shape.

 

[Delaney]

Thank you so much for the feedback.

I completely agree a home without stairs would be MUCH better. I WISH I would have bought a single story house, but I wasn't even thinking about the issues of aging when I bought years ago. Also, now that I am looking for single story homes, I am finding very few of them in Western PA.

Eventually, mowing the lawn and shoveling snow will become an issue too. I've concluded that my next home will probably be a maintenance-free apartment or condo, but I HATE the idea of moving until I have no choice and my dog will really miss my backyard, so I'd like to do what I can to stay where I am even for say 10 years.

I see that NOBODY is impressed by the stairsteady device. I agree that the single image of this device is confusing. Watching the video on the stairsteady site made me think this MIGHT work to help specifically with balance issues. The fact that this is not available in the USA makes me think it isn't truly safe so I hoped there might be something else similar that is available.

One person said, "there are plenty of solutions to address the situation. Why is there such a focus on this one product in the original post?"

I would love to hear about ANY other solutions to the stairs. The only solutions I came up with were this product, a house remodel (which won't work), or an expensive option like adding an elevator or a stair chair which doesn't work for me since moving seems easier..

 

[Music Lover]

Eventually, mowing the lawn and shoveling snow will become an issue too. I've concluded that my next home will probably be a maintenance-free apartment or condo, but I HATE the idea of moving until I have no choice and my dog will really miss my backyard, so I'd like to do what I can to stay where I am even for say 10 years.

Why not hire out snow clearing and lawn care? Someone else does the work and you and your dog get to enjoy the yard.

I would love to hear about ANY other solutions to the stairs. The only solutions I came up with were this product, a house remodel (which won't work), or an expensive option like adding an elevator or a stair chair which doesn't work for me since moving seems easier..

A quick search shows that stair chairs run from $2000 - $9000 installed, but I admit to knowing nothing about them. But if that's accurate then it's less than the cost of a real estate agent and moving costs.

 

[dak2018]

Age 56 seems to be exceptionally early to be worried about this - barring current health concerns, of course.

If a remodel is not in the cards ( and I would be interested to know why that is not possible) then moving might well be your only choice. If the concern is pending fraility, I am not sure how the device that was shown addresses that - at best it would seem to be a stopgap measure. If this issue is simply balance I guess it might buy you some time, but at that point the handwriting is on the wall and you are unlikely to be satisfied and safe for an extended time period using such a device.

My wife and I are currently on a two story house, and the plan is to seek single level accommodations when either the home maintenance or medical conditions are on the horizon. In health terms, nothing is predictable so I hope we will move due to maintenance fatigue.

 

[pacergal]

If you are worried about this now, that tells me you are having second thoughts on aging in place where you are.
At 56, if you are in relative good health and no problem with the stairs now, you have time to continue to look and plan where you might end up.
Not having a bathroom on the first floor would be an issue for me. If needed, a living room or open area could always be changed into a bedroom, but no bathroom wouldn't work.
If you really like your house, would it be less expensive to look at a remodel to add a bathroom to the first floor rather than sell and move?

 

[Boho]

The device makes me think of the times my bar clamp and zip ties slipped. Stick with the tried and true stair lift or elevator. Have a plan for bathroom use ready in case you can't climb the stairs, like a portable toilet and maybe a septic hookup for it outside, like a trailer park (I never heard of this for a private house but I don't see why not). Or know where else you can stay during recovery until they can install a chair lift.

Not that the moving handle gadget is a bad idea. After all, they make grab bars with suction cups. I just wouldn't feel that comfortable with it.

 

[MichaelB]

+1@Rodi, stairs works until they don’t.

+1@ Music Lover, the cost of moving may be greater than the cost of a chair. Outdoor upkeep and maintenance can be contracted.

+1@ pacergal, look at remodel cost for bathroom downstairs. With limited mobility the downstairs can always be rearranged temporarily to acomódate a bed but not a bathroom.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

I will add this: seems to me just like with moving to nursing homes, the problems appear when people let things go on too long, bit it denial, being cheap or whatever the reason. Dont wait to remodel a bathroom to be easier and safer until youre so broken you will only use it for 6 mos until you have to move to assisted living. Same with stairs. Dont wait until after you need it to drop 10k on a stair chair to delay moving by only a little bit, when moving is what you wanted to avoid all along and now you get to pay for the stair chair and ALSO move in a short period of time. It seem to me its much easier to househunt and move when youre well enough to go out and househunt and walk the permieter of houses and neighborhoods.

No we dont have stairs but (precovid when we were out) we took them all the time in public buildings/hospitals etc bc they are less crowded, seem cleaner and give us some exercise. Our health doesnt suffer from having a 1 level house vice a 2.

 

[anothercog]

If moving is not an option I would at least look into adding a bathroom downstairs. We have a half bath downstairs and could potentially put in a shower by moving the washer and dryer to the garage. All of our bedrooms are upstairs.

The elderly woman that lived down the street in same model lived her remaining years in the downstairs living room, but at least she had a bathroom.

I'm hopeful we will be a manage our flight of stairs into our early 80's. Then we'll figure something else out.

 

[6miths]

Mother is 87 and does well in a split level house with no bathroom on the kitchen/living room floor. My MIL was overweight and managed well into her 80s in a 2-storey house with no bathroom on the main floor. We think about single floor living but at the end of the day it's probably more of a luxury until one is very near the end unless they have other conditions which are limiting.