Staying Healthy
Health-savvy house hunting
After the nest empties, certain home features can promote your comfort and safety.
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
After decades of kid wrangling, life is all about you again — and so is your home. For many people in their 50s and 60s, an empty nest prompts visions of travel and time with grandchildren, along with thoughts of moving to a new space to optimize the next phase of life.
But house hunting later in life also brings a new set of considerations. Your needs are different now — you may want less space and upkeep, for example — and your capabilities may be different as well. It's time to consider what architectural features can make your new home a "forever home" that enables you to age in place if you become less mobile or agile. (See "Want to age in place? Tap technology.")
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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