Remodeling for the Baby Boomer Generation

As our population ages, many older homeowners have not prepared their homes for life's inevitable changes.

The National Association of Home Builders offers a checklist of "aging-in-place" features that will assist aging homeowners to live safely and independently. By evaluating their current home according to this checklist, homeowners can determine what modifications their home may need now to allow them to live comfortably in the future.

The checklist includes:

• A master bedroom and bath on the first floor
• A low or no-threshold entrance to the home with an overhang
• Lever-style door handles
• Bright lighting in all areas
• A low-maintenance exterior
• Non-slip flooring at the main entryway
• An open floor plan, especially in the kitchen and dining areas
• Handrails on all steps