For most, retirement planning spends very little time on updating the home for the needs of aging individuals. One study suggests that of households aged 65 or older, 44% of them need renovations to account for age-related disability.

As you move into your retirement years, it is better to start thinking about these renovations before you need them. If you wait for there to be accessibility issues or problems using different components of the home, it can make the home more difficult for an older individual to inhabit while they wait for the changes to be made.

Additionally, having to get the work done in a hurry can increase the cost and have an impact on the finished result. Starting while you can still operate a multi-purpose tool with oscillating blades to install various senior-friendly fixtures around the home can help you ensure the job is done right. Furthermore, if you like walking around your property, making adjustments like using an electric chainsaw to clear more accessible pathways means staying active in your old age will be far easier.

Here are four home renovations that can help people who are planning to retire at home.

Wider Doors

While you might be getting around fine now, there is a chance that you could need a mobility device in the future. If this does happen, your standard doors might not be wide enough to accommodate things like walkers and wheelchairs.

The average interior door is at about 28-inches wide. If you want to prepare yourself for a potential future with mobility devices, you should expand doorways to a width of 32-inches or more. This is a relatively simple project that can be done quickly, but it will require the skills of a professional contractor.

Access to the Home Entryway

If you have steps leading to your front door, this could be a problem in the future if moving about becomes difficult. One option is to build a ramp to make the door more accessible. If it is just a few steps, you could also consider building a walkway that has a gentle incline leading up to the door.

For an option that might be more aesthetically pleasing while also adding some more usable space, consider building a deck or porch on the front of the house. You can build a ramp that is integrated with the new structure and makes accessing your space easy.

Install Safer Floors

Slip and fall incidents get more common as a person ages, and they are also more likely to result in significant injuries. To prevent these incidents and the associated injuries, older people should consider installing slip-resistant floors.

Carpet is one obvious option for slip-resistant flooring, but this may not work in every room. Fortunately, there’s a wide assortment of non-slip flooring material that can work for any room in the home. Non-slip vinyl is a popular option. You can also choose from materials like hardwood, laminate flooring, and non-slip tiles.

First-Floor Master Suite

More than 54 million American adults suffer from some type of arthritis. With the knees being one of the most commonly affected joints, this can make climbing stairs a difficult task for older people. If your master bedroom is on the second floor of your home, it could cause problems for your knees as you age.

One potential solution is to move your master bedroom to the first floor. This would be a fairly extensive home renovation project, but it could do a lot to make your life easier. It could also make a significant difference concerning your ability to stay in the home as you age.

If you are nearing retirement age, you should start making the necessary adjustments to the home. Doing so will make your space more practical for your retirement years. By getting started on these changes now, you can get the work done at your pace and make sure these features are ready for when you need them.