NEW YORK — Brenda Edwards considers the four bedroom ranch-style house where she has lived for 20 years her forever home. It's where the 70-year-old retired nurse and her 79-year-old husbandin Oakdale, California. She had the kitchen aisles widened to accommodate a wheelchair in case she or her husband ever need one. The bathroom now has a walk-in steam shower and an electronic toilet seat that cleans the user when activated.
Home Depot, the nation's largest home improvement chain, is revamping its Glacier Bay brand to include sleeker grab bars and faucets that are easier to use. Rival Lowe's created a one-stop shop in 2021 that offers“They aspire for bathrooms that exude beauty and elegance, with essential accessibility features seamlessly integrated,” Lowe’s Trend and Style Director Monica Reese said of the target customers.
Wendy Glaister, an interior designer in Modesto, California, who worked with Edwards, reports more clientele in their late 50s and early 60s remodeling their homes for the years ahead. The typical bathroom renovation in California costs $45,000 to $75,000, she said. The Harvard center analysis found that 20% of survey respondents age 80 and above with incomes below $30,000 reported accessibility challenges, compared to 11% for those with incomes of $75,000 or more.
They hired builders to put a master bedroom and a bathroom on the first floor, both wheelchair-accessible. As the project neared completion a year ago, Gene Carr had a minor stroke that he describes as a “wake-up call.” His condition has improved, but the renovations make it easier to deal with ongoing balance issues, Carr said.
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