This is the second in a series of articles addressing the current crisis of the lack of available senior housing including other available housing options and how best to address the long wait lists. TLS will offer the insights and experiences of some of our trusted partners that we have been privileged to work with over the course of our 25+ years in business. This article showcases Harvey Home Company – specialists in senior home modifications and alternate senior dwellings.
When people start thinking about what life will look like as they get older, the conversation tends to go in one direction:
“Where are we going to move?”
For many seniors and their families, the answer is often a smaller home, a condominium, or a senior living community. But there is another option worth considering: What if the home you already love—or the home of a loved one—could be changed to work better for you?
Aging in place can mean making thoughtful changes to a home so it continues to accommodate changing mobility, safety, and accessibility needs. With the right planning, some homeowners can remain in a familiar place for many more years.
The trick is starting the conversation before a crisis makes the decision for you.
The Problem with Waiting for a Problem or Crisis
Most families don’t start thinking seriously about accessibility until something happens, cautions Brian Harvey, owner of Harvey Home Co. That “something” could be a fall, a mobility change, a medical event, or a staircase that suddenly becomes difficult, for example.
“Most clients come to us after an incident or problem,” Brian says.
Planning earlier gives homeowners time to understand what’s possible, what it could cost, and whether modifying the existing home makes sense. Harvey Home Co. specializes in residential accessibility and universal design, looking at the home as a whole rather than focusing on a single piece of equipment such as a stairlift or grab bars, or one problem area.
Start With the Floor Plan
One of the most overlooked parts of making a home safer is how the rooms and furniture are arranged. Where is the bed? How much space is there around it? Can someone get from the bedroom to the bathroom safely in the middle of the night? Are frequently used items easy to reach?
Bedrooms can be particularly problematic. People are often groggy, lighting may be poor, and getting in and out of bed involves changing positions and navigating the room before they’re fully awake.
Bathrooms tend to get the most attention when families start thinking about accessibility, but the entire path through the home deserves consideration.
Sometimes, simply rearranging a room can make it easier to move through.
Think About the First Floor
For many homeowners, one long-term goal is making it possible to live primarily—or entirely—on the first floor. That might mean converting an existing room into a bedroom, adding a bathroom, or rearranging the floor plan to create a more functional living space.
The idea is simple: put the things you need where you can access them.
A first-floor bedroom without a nearby bathroom doesn’t solve the problem. Neither does an accessible bathroom if you still have to navigate a difficult staircase to reach it. Harvey’s work can include changes throughout the home, from bathrooms and kitchens to open floor plans, ramps, vertical platform lifts, and much more.
What About an ADU?
For some families, modifying the existing home isn’t the only option.
An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) can create a separate living space on the same property. An ADU can be an addition, a conversion of an interior space, or a standalone structure, depending on the property and local zoning requirements.
For multigenerational families, an ADU can provide a way for an older parent to live close to family without necessarily sharing the same living space. Harvey Home Co. also works with homeowners considering ADUs and in-law suites as part of their aging-in-place plans.
Remodel, Downsize, or ADU?
There isn’t one answer that works for every family.
Some homes can be modified relatively easily. Others have stairs, tight floor plans, structural limitations, or other challenges that make remodeling more complicated. And even if a home can be modified, the investment may not make sense for every homeowner. That’s why it helps to understand the options before deciding.
Harvey Home Co. can help homeowners look at different possibilities and provide estimates for various types of projects. That can give families a clearer picture of what staying home might require.
The same principle applies to downsizing. Before deciding that you must move, it’s important to understand what staying would involve.
The Financial Question
Cost is understandably one of the biggest concerns. A major renovation can represent a significant investment, particularly when you’re talking about bathrooms, additions, structural changes, or whole-home accessibility.
There’s also the question of resale value. Will the changes help the home’s future value, or will it make it harder to sell?
There’s no universal answer; every property and market is different. The important thing is to understand the potential scope and cost before committing to a major project. And if the cost or complexity of modifying the home doesn’t make sense, knowing that early can also help a family move forward with a downsizing or relocation plan.
The Best Approach: Start Early
If you’re five or ten years away from needing significant changes, you have something incredibly valuable: time. Time to look at the house, time to understand what’s possible, time to compare the cost of remodeling with the cost and logistics of moving.
Brian recommends thinking about these options well before they’re urgently needed. Delaying the conversation can make changes more expensive and leave families with fewer choices.
That doesn’t mean every homeowner should renovate. It means the decision deserves to be explored before it becomes an emergency.
And Don’t Forget the Stuff!
Of course, modifying the house solves only part of the aging-in-place equation.
A home may become more accessible, but that doesn’t necessarily make it easier to maintain. And a 3,000-square-foot house still contains 3,000 square feet of belongings. Even if you’re planning to stay, it may make sense to start looking at what’s in the attic, basement, garage, closets, and cabinets.
Do you still need all that furniture? What about the lawn equipment you’ve stopped using? The boxes of old records? The kitchenware for a lifestyle you no longer have?
Preparing a home for the next stage of life can include making the house easier to navigate and making sure the things inside it still fit the way you live. Postponing the decisions regarding the “stuff” until you must leave the home forces 30, 40 or 50 years of accumulation into a few months, adding more stress to an already difficult move.
A Different Way to Think About the Next Chapter
Aging doesn’t automatically mean moving.
For some people, a senior living community will be the right choice. For others, modifying their existing home may make more sense. An ADU or multigenerational arrangement may be another possibility. The important thing is to understand those options before you’re forced to choose one.
If you’re considering aging in place, start by looking honestly at the space you have today.
- What works?
- What doesn’t?
- What could become difficult?
- What would it take to change it?
We are here to help:
For information about home accessibility, aging-in-place planning, remodeling, or ADU options, reach out to Brian Harvey by calling 508-838-8959 or emailing brian@harveyhomeco.com. Harvey Home Co. serves homeowners throughout Massachusetts.
And if you’re ready to tackle the belongings, organization, and downsizing side of the equation, contact Marie LeBlanc at Transitions Liquidation Services at 617-513-0433. Whether you’re staying, moving, or still deciding, starting the conversation early gives you more options and a lot less pressure.