I don’t know about you, but until old age, I have a plan. Plan A I’m not old. Plan B If I have to get old, I’ll go down swinging.
So, I was encouraged to learn that new technology and forward-thinking designers promise to make aging at home much easier. And, according to a recent AARP survey, 77% of those over 50 want a “spot fix.” (It means not going to a nursing home.) That percentage jumps to 86 percent among those over 65, which tells me that the older you get, the more appealing the idea of sitting in a nursing home under the thumb of someone without a car becomes. They will be keys.
“Boomers are particularly reluctant to give up their independence,” says interior designer Lisa Sini, owner of Mosaic Design Studio in Columbus, Ohio. “Especially after covid came down and assisted living centers became a place no one visited or went to, boomers were determined to maintain their autonomy.
She is making it easy for them. After 25 years designing assisted living facilities and remodeling her own Columbus home to accommodate four generations—she and her husband, two teenagers, her 70-year-old parents, and her 92-year-old grandmother with dementia—Sini parlays her personal and professional knowledge of senior living into a novel. She delivered a project.
After her grandmother dies and the children go to college and work, she finds a historic mansion in the city for sale. She bought it and turned it into a nine-bedroom Airbnb designed to accommodate seniors in comfort, safety and style. (I love the style part. If I’m going to grow old in the place, the place has to look good.)
“Besides eliminating trip hazards, adding lighting, widening doors for wheelchairs and walkers, and installing lever door handles, what else can you do?” I asked Sini over the phone.
a lot of. Werner Haus Cine incorporates more than 50 high-tech technologies, most of which are seamlessly integrated into the beautiful interior design.
“Some guests stay, and they don’t know there’s anything unusual,” she added.
In fact, as Cindy gave me a virtual tour, I was amazed at the 10,000-square-foot property that said, “This is for seniors!” There is nothing that screams. All the tech touches are intuitive and functional. In addition to the bedrooms and their adjoining bathrooms, the Airbnb also has a ballroom, a fitness spa and lap pool, a speakeasy, three kitchens, and a movie and music room.
Opened to guests in April, Werner House (infinite-living.org) is marketed as Airbnb’s mission to subtly market products to those looking to grow their space and encourage them to experience new technologies during their stay. They can later host them at home, Cini says, adding that she eventually wants to take the Airbnb concept nationally.
Here’s a sample of the built-in utilities:
• Felt floors. The five suites feature Sole with shower floors with SensFloor technology. The subfloor, which allows any type of surface to pass over it, has built-in sensors that can detect when a person falls and sits on the floor and can send an appropriate alert for help. You can also program the bathroom light to turn on when your foot hits the floor.
• Sound deadening carpet. In public areas such as the dining room, speakeasy and living room, the carpet has noise canceling technology. “Many older people have hearing loss, and it’s so hard to hear that they stop going out to eat,” Sini says. “The rug attracts the din and makes conversation easier.”
• Strong seats. Anyone who has ever sunk into a low, soft chair and felt like they needed two people and a crane will find that the cushions on the chairs and sofas at the Werner House are thick foam and no seat. It is less than 19 inches. Some upholstered club chairs have elegant wood and brass hinges on their backs to hold a bent leg.
• Full service bathrooms. Adjustable toilets are raised to help guests sit, and lower for ease of use. Toilet paper holders have built-in grab bars, and bidet seats are added to standard toilets to maintain hygiene. “People don’t understand the wonder of the bidet toilet seat,” says Sini. “For $400, anyone can put a bidet seat over a regular toilet and save a lot on toilet paper.”
• It equates to that. Bathrooms have adjustable sinks that go down to wheelchair height, grab bars on the sides of bathtubs to help people stand and sit, and accessible spa tubs.
• Cabinets that come to you. In kitchens, smart cabinets have a mechanism that allows them to be removed from the wall and lowered to your level, which is useful for people who have difficulty reaching and lifting items from the upper cabinets. Once you’ve found what you’re looking for, the cabinet returns. Kitchen counters are height adjustable to accommodate a 5-foot person and their 6-foot housemate. “This is a big issue for cutting, it’s about use,” she says.
“Having a home that will fix you and protect you should not be out of the question,” she says.
And not now.
Marnie Jameson is the author of six home and lifestyle books, including “What to Do With Everything You Own to Leave the Legacy You Want,” “Downsizing the Family Home – What to Save, What to Leave,” and “Downsizing the Blend.” Home – When two families become one. You can find her at marnijameson.com.
