One of the biggest considerations for people who are considering remodelling a Dayton, Ohio home for accessibility or mobility or to follow the principles of “aging in place” design are the flooring choices in the home. Not only does making the right choices increase the safety of the home but it can also increase the comfort level for those living in the space.
Choosing Kinder Floors for Mobility Remodeling
The longer a person lives, however fit they are eventually their bodies begin to lose muscle tone and muscle mass, leading to joint inflammation and difficulties in walking and standing for long periods of time and believe it or not sometimes the flooring in their home can make the problems worse.
For example in the kitchen ceramic tile is a popular choice and in some ways for lots of good reasons. It is durable, relatively easy to maintain and is while not inexpensive it is rarely the most costly option either.
The difficulty for aging people who are beginning to have more problems getting around is that as a flooring option it is very unforgiving. A tile floor has no give and no absorption. Standing, or walking on them for a longer period of time can become very uncomfortable, even painful, for those with less muscle tone than they used to have, so even the simple act of preparing and cooking a meal becomes a taxing experience.
There are better choices out there. Laminates, engineered wood and especially cork all have a certain degree of give that can make living with them a little easier. Cork is especially good in this instance as it has a natural spongy texture and give that actually absorbs much of the shock that less than sprightly legs feel when walking or standing and can actually help lessen back pain as well.
Choosing Safer Floors for Mobility Remodeling
Safety is a huge consideration when it comes to flooring choices for an accessible home. Slip and fall accidents – or the possibility that they will occur – is one of the biggest reasons that people consider leaving their current homes in the first place. There is even a growing body of medical research though that has shown that a certain flooring type can have a significant impact on the number of injuries suffered in the home. One UK study, for instance, found a 25% reduction in the number of hip fractures suffered by people who had opted to change a tile or concrete floor for a low pile carpet.
What is the best option for an individual person though when it comes to flooring will vary greatly. Working with an Eastern Indiana flooring specialist is the best way to make sure that the choices made are the right ones.
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