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Mar 03, 2024

14 Bathroom Updates to Make As You Age in Place

​A bunch of bathroom features can be controlled electronically to make life easier. Here are some smart technology features home experts like:​ ​Motorized window coverings that can be controlled by

​A bunch of bathroom features can be controlled electronically to make life easier. Here are some smart technology features home experts like:​

​Motorized window coverings that can be controlled by your voice or an app are good for hard-to-reach windows above a tub or in a slick shower.

Touch- or motion-activated faucets are helpful for people with arthritis or Parkinson’s disease.​

​Bathroom exhaust fans with humidity or motion sensing can automatically turn on and off. Some feature a night-light. They help keep a bathroom clean and safe by removing steam and preventing moisture and mold buildup.​

​Danielson, a certified lighting consultant, recommends layers of lighting in the bathroom — a lighted mirror with overhead lighting. Make sure the light is sufficient to see water on the floor, but install dimmers to adjust for daytime and night, she says. ​

​Better yet, circadian lighting — an automated system synced to your body’s internal clock based on the amount, intensity and color of light — can help people who have difficulty sleeping, Gold says. Some circadian light systems are app-driven or tied to smart-home technology.​

​Catalano installed a sun tube above the shower that brings in enough natural light that no artificial light is needed during the day. He says he chose a sun tube over a skylight because the fixture needed to tunnel down from the roof through the attic to the single-story house.​

​“Think about the overall design of the bathroom,” Danielson stresses. “Make sure you have a fluid space. Make choices today that can stay with you for the long haul.” ​

Sheryl Jean is a contributing writer who covers aging, business, technology, travel, health and human-interest stories. A former reporter for several daily metropolitan newspapers, her work also has appeared in the Chicago Tribune and The Dallas Morning News and on the American Heart Association’s website.

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