Top 10 Home Updates for Seniors

In 2013, a study from the Altus Group found that Canadians 65 years and over had spent nearly $8-billion in home renovations, with many spending thousands on projects focused on adapting their homes to their growing needs.
The Ontario Government has recently announced The Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit to support seniors and family members living with them to make their home safer and more accessible. The credit offers 15% of up to $10,000 back on eligible renovations.
HomeStars founder and CEO Nancy Peterson is an expert in home renovations and is aware of the challenges facing the elderly and their live-in family members, "It is very challenging to see someone you love lose their independence and mobility, and choosing to relocate parents into a retirement home can be heartbreaking and costly. A few simple home updates can make like easier and safer for your aging loved ones and this new tax credit is making this much more accessible."
Here are Nancy's top 10 home updates for seniors, eligible for The Healthy Homes Renovation Tax Credit:

1. Grab bars and related reinforcements around the toilet, tub and shower
2. Handrails in corridors
3. Wheelchair ramps, stair/wheelchair lifts and elevators
4. Walk-in bathtubs or wheel-in showers
5. Relocation of tap on sinks to front or side for easier access
6. Comfort height toilets
7. Widening passage doors
8. Lowering existing counters/cupboards
9. Lever handles on doors and taps, instead of knobs
10. Non-slip flooring

To view a complete list of eligible renovations, click here.
For more information on HomeStars, click here.