Why I think people moving in middle age should seek accessible housing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My family is full of cops, I agree OP.

The things they see and talk about when we get together.

The fallacy that walkable communities are good for aging and elderly. Pretty much every car hitting a pedestrian is a teen being an idiot or an older person making a grave mistake.

Falling down stairs is huge.

Getting stuck in their apartment when electricity goes out, can’t walk stairs, elevator out, die of dehydration.

Well duh. They only see the people who have been hit by cars, not all the elders who have not been. Use it or lose it. Walkability is extremely important for the elderly.

I never understand why people think walkability is appealing to the elderly. My mom and MIL have mobility issues. They have zero interest or ability to walk to get groceries, go to restaurants, our anywhere where there are tons of cars. They move slowly and feel vulnerable if they’re in busy populated areas.

So it's already too late for your mother and MIL, but for elders who are still quite spry, they should continue to be mobile as much as possible. Likely your relatives always lived in suburban areas and depended on cars, which hurt their mobility long-term.

Yep, this. I'm European, and my parents are in their middle 80s and walk everywhere at least 2 miles daily, but this is normal and expected where I'm from. I know they will die if they would be stuck in suburbia. America's BIG problem is poor health and large size.

[Anonymous]

OP, you do realize there is a lack of accessible housing in the US, right? A HUD study found that only 5 percent of houses were accessible and only one-third could be made accessible. People buying a house at 40 are going to be very restricted if they prioritize an accessible house because they might fall off a ladder and break ankles or get a disease they cannot predict.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Put in elevator. Problem solved.

Agreed. My 80 year old parents live in a 3 story house with elevator.

What happens if the electricity goes out?

They wait for it to come back on? They call a neighbor for help? They call 911 if it’s urgent?

You can only mitigate for so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just sold and are in our mid-40’s. We’re now looking for a rambler or at least a home with an en-suite on the first floor.

Good luck if you are in the DC area. We tried for three years and just gave up and bought the house with just one flight of stairs. Since I am "too young" for a knee replacement, I'm soldiering through it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just sold and are in our mid-40’s. We’re now looking for a rambler or at least a home with an en-suite on the first floor.

Good luck if you are in the DC area. We tried for three years and just gave up and bought the house with just one flight of stairs. Since I am "too young" for a knee replacement, I'm soldiering through it.

Yes we're in DC proper and are eyeing two at the moment. Here's one:

https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1938-Bunker-Hill-Rd-NE-20018/home/10101271

[Anonymous]

One level living is the way. Physically I am in the athletic elite just by way of background, having been a top D1 athlete and having continued to train and coach athletes in the 10 years since. Between working out 6x a week and just being all around busy, when I get home I don’t want to do stairs.

Also, for all the folks saying “stairs keep you young” — you really aren’t going to like hearing this, but if you need stairs to keep you active you are not exercising enough. Walking up the single flight of stairs to your bedroom is not “exercise” and you don’t get credit for doing that, can we please stop with the crazy here 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One level living is the way. Physically I am in the athletic elite just by way of background, having been a top D1 athlete and having continued to train and coach athletes in the 10 years since. Between working out 6x a week and just being all around busy, when I get home I don’t want to do stairs.

Also, for all the folks saying “stairs keep you young” — you really aren’t going to like hearing this, but if you need stairs to keep you active you are not exercising enough. Walking up the single flight of stairs to your bedroom is not “exercise” and you don’t get credit for doing that, can we please stop with the crazy here 😂

Get a life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One level living is the way. Physically I am in the athletic elite just by way of background, having been a top D1 athlete and having continued to train and coach athletes in the 10 years since. Between working out 6x a week and just being all around busy, when I get home I don’t want to do stairs.

Also, for all the folks saying “stairs keep you young” — you really aren’t going to like hearing this, but if you need stairs to keep you active you are not exercising enough. Walking up the single flight of stairs to your bedroom is not “exercise” and you don’t get credit for doing that, can we please stop with the crazy here 😂

Get a life

What’s the matter, did someone get triggered 😢

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One level living is the way. Physically I am in the athletic elite just by way of background, having been a top D1 athlete and having continued to train and coach athletes in the 10 years since. Between working out 6x a week and just being all around busy, when I get home I don’t want to do stairs.

Also, for all the folks saying “stairs keep you young” — you really aren’t going to like hearing this, but if you need stairs to keep you active you are not exercising enough. Walking up the single flight of stairs to your bedroom is not “exercise” and you don’t get credit for doing that, can we please stop with the crazy here 😂

Do you also frequent Paul Simon’s house in the Hamptons?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having stairs and climbing them everyday prevents many accidents as it keeps people limber. I would not suggest an accessible home until needed.

Totally wrong. When I was in a straight leg cast in my 30s, I couldn't have stayed in my house if it I didn't have a bathtub and a bedroom on the first floor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My family is full of cops, I agree OP.

The things they see and talk about when we get together.

The fallacy that walkable communities are good for aging and elderly. Pretty much every car hitting a pedestrian is a teen being an idiot or an older person making a grave mistake.

Falling down stairs is huge.

Getting stuck in their apartment when electricity goes out, can’t walk stairs, elevator out, die of dehydration.

Well duh. They only see the people who have been hit by cars, not all the elders who have not been. Use it or lose it. Walkability is extremely important for the elderly.

I never understand why people think walkability is appealing to the elderly. My mom and MIL have mobility issues. They have zero interest or ability to walk to get groceries, go to restaurants, our anywhere where there are tons of cars. They move slowly and feel vulnerable if they’re in busy populated areas.

So it's already too late for your mother and MIL, but for elders who are still quite spry, they should continue to be mobile as much as possible. Likely your relatives always lived in suburban areas and depended on cars, which hurt their mobility long-term.

Yep, this. I'm European, and my parents are in their middle 80s and walk everywhere at least 2 miles daily, but this is normal and expected where I'm from. I know they will die if they would be stuck in suburbia. America's BIG problem is poor health and large size.

Old people shouldn't use stairs for exercise. Walking is great, stairs are dangerous and become a show stopper after a surgery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My family is full of cops, I agree OP.

The things they see and talk about when we get together.

The fallacy that walkable communities are good for aging and elderly. Pretty much every car hitting a pedestrian is a teen being an idiot or an older person making a grave mistake.

Falling down stairs is huge.

Getting stuck in their apartment when electricity goes out, can’t walk stairs, elevator out, die of dehydration.

Well duh. They only see the people who have been hit by cars, not all the elders who have not been. Use it or lose it. Walkability is extremely important for the elderly.

I never understand why people think walkability is appealing to the elderly. My mom and MIL have mobility issues. They have zero interest or ability to walk to get groceries, go to restaurants, our anywhere where there are tons of cars. They move slowly and feel vulnerable if they’re in busy populated areas.

So it's already too late for your mother and MIL, but for elders who are still quite spry, they should continue to be mobile as much as possible. Likely your relatives always lived in suburban areas and depended on cars, which hurt their mobility long-term.

Yep, this. I'm European, and my parents are in their middle 80s and walk everywhere at least 2 miles daily, but this is normal and expected where I'm from. I know they will die if they would be stuck in suburbia. America's BIG problem is poor health and large size.

Most old European old people are skinny, they run up stairs and walk ten miles every morning, chain smoke cigarettes and eat raw meat even without teeth because dentists are not part of their culture.