California Elder Lawyers: Renovate to Avoid Nursing Homes

California elder lawyers are well-versed in the ins-and-outs of nursing home expenses, and they continually work with seniors to determine how best to lower costs and protect assets. One recommendation that does not always get enough attention is to spend a little on remodeling your home to save big on nursing home costs down the road.

Nursing homes and retirement homes provide a lot of benefits to the elderly, but there are times when moving into one of these facilities may not be entirely warranted. Instead of pulling out the brochures and comparing amenities early on, seniors might want to consider looking at ways to upgrade their own homes to spend more time living completely or partially independently.

The average cost of nursing home care in California is continuing to rise. It is not unusual to expect to pay as much as $75,000 each year to reside in one. If you compare that to the costs of making a few modifications to your existing home, it is easy to see how tens—even hundreds—of thousands of dollars can be saved.

Of course, California elder lawyers are not experts when it comes to home renovations, but there are a lot of great resources for suggestions on how to make your home more livable in the later years.

Bathroom Renovations for Seniors

For just a few hundred dollars, it is possible to upgrade an existing bathroom to offer more safety and convenience to the senior living in the home. This may be as simple as adding some grab bars near the toilet and a seat and detachable shower head in the tub. Other fairly low-cost considerations might include laying down some non-slip flooring.

While more costly, there are other options in the bathroom, too. Widening doorways for wheelchair accessibility and changing out existing tubs for walk-in showers are reasonable solutions for many people. Again, it is worthwhile to compare the price of the work to the overall cost of nursing home care for a year. If the changes and upgrades allow the senior to stay in his or her home for three more years, even a cost of $10,000 would easily be recouped within a few months.

Kitchen Renovations for Seniors

Some suggestions for making a kitchen more user-friendly for an elderly person include raising the oven up by building it into the wall or putting some lower cabinets on wheels for easier access. Utilizing an eat-in kitchen rather than carrying food to the dining room is also a simple step in making life easier and avoiding moving to a nursing home sooner.

As with bathroom renovations, keep in mind that floor safety is important. Water gets spilled easily, so a non-slip surface is best. Many elder lawyers see clients who are facing a nursing home stay due to a slip-and-fall accident that breaks a hip and limits mobility. Paying attention to floor safety helps to avoid this situation. You can also make life a bit easier by choosing one that is easy to clean.

By investing in your home now, you can increase your ability to stay in it longer and therefore avoid many of the costs associated with nursing home care. California elder lawyers can help you to identify these and other ways to enjoy your retirement. Please contact our elder law attorneys at 800-244-8814 if you need help finding additional ways to stay protected. 

If you have any further questions about estate planning and strategies to shield your wealth, or if you’d like to have your current asset protection plan reviewed to make sure it still meets your needs, please contact us at one of our offices located throughout the state of California 800-244-8814 to set up a consultation.