PORT TOWNSEND — A model home that incorporates design elements intended to serve older and less mobile homeowners is serving as an education tool in this aging community, according to the agent who built the new house.
“I want people to learn about what’s available so they can do it on their own,” said Windermere Real Estate Realtor Teri Nomura.
“People can see what’s possible and get the feeling for what they should be doing in their own homes in the future.”
As the boomer generation ages, its members are looking for ways to grow old in a comfortable setting.
This is a larger issue in Port Townsend, Nomura said, as the average age of 54 means that many people will be facing their limitations and will need to change expectations about their living space.
There are two options, she said: Retrofitting their existing homes to fit their needs or moving elsewhere, perhaps to a rest home.
Nomura’s new house demonstrates another option: the creation of a specially designed living space that maintains a comfort level while accommodating diminishing physical abilities.
The 1,344-square-foot single-family house at 1380 19th St. includes two bedrooms, two baths and a large common room that connects to the kitchen.
The interior is designed for wheelchair mobility, with wider halls and doors along with bamboo floors with smooth egress between the rooms.
While one bathroom is standard — Nomura said that people with disabilities often have able bodied people living with them — the master bathroom has a wide area around the toilet and a 24-square-foot shower that allows mobility.
Nomura said the driving concept in creating of the home is “universal design” where innovations may benefit people with disabilities but can be appreciated by any homeowner.
Most homes have light switches where they can be reached by an average adult and power plugs near the floor. Here they are more or less the same height and within reach from a wheelchair.
“Some people say they are going to fix up the home for an aging relative by installing grab bars and rolling up all the rugs, but there is a lot more to it,” said Celia Fry, who along with Lynn Meyer, runs Age At Home, a company providing consultations to retrofit homes so that aging owners can stay there.
“You have to make these design changes now but with an eye to what it’s going to look like five years down the road.”
Fry and Meyer develop a custom report based on the client’s home and needs, tailoring proposed renovations to these specifics.
The consultations provide a blueprint for a contractor to customize the home.
Making a house more age-friendly can also increase its resale value especially in Port Townsend, Nomura said.
Not every home can be easily or inexpensively renovated, as the bathroom often provides the biggest challenge, often requiring installing a walk-in shower, Fry said.
It’s also personal for Nomura.
“I have learned a lot caring for my 92-year-old father,” she said.
“For him, rooms need to be bright and warm, have grab bars in the bathroom and at stepped entries, be predictable and have places for everyday things, and allow him to function independently.”
To contact Nomura call 360-531-1602 or nomura@windermere.com.
To reach Fry or Meyer, visit www.ageathomellc.com or email info@ageathomellc.com.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
