Universal design is not just for the old or those with particular disabilities. It makes everyone's life safer and better. Grab bars are good for everyone. It s just good design!

To some it may mean wider doorways to accommodate a walker or wheelchair, no threshholds on showers and easily cleaned materials.

Things such as drawers instead of cabinet doors in the kitchen and bath, handles/pulls instead of knobs, levers on doors, and hard surface flooring for ease of movement and cleaning make sense for everyone. As above, grab bars, which look just like towel bars only stronger.

You may only be in your mid 40s now, but it's in the next few years that you'll begin to appreciate construction that makes life easier.

I'm 67 and already live in a single story home with wide doorways. The next items on my accessibility wish list would be a higher toilet and grab bars there and in the shower. I don't need these things now, but last year I had major abdomino-pelvic surgery and really could have used them during recovery. A remodel is the best time to add accessibility features to your home. Even if you never need them yourselves, they may add value if you resell. I'd suggest starting with doorway width, curbless showers with benches, and grab bars on the ground floor (if you have more than one floor).

Think about it now, before you really need it. It will make your lives easier and help with resale value as well.

We have just done major renovations to our bathrooms and gave the whole ageing in place a lot of thought. We plan to stay in this house until the end!! Our ensuite shower doesn't have a door , just a large glass wall with the an open end, it is wide enough to put a chair or wheelchair in if needed, our shower tap is down near the entrance of the shower so when you turn the tap on, you can adjust the water to the way you like it before you step in and get wet. All the taps are mixers as we didn't want knobs in case we get to the point that we would not be able to turn them on and off. In the kids bathroom, again we have mixers. As we had to combine the kids bathroom and laundry into one room, this has actually worked in favour of the kids as it right near their bedrooms so they pretty much have their own "ensuite". It worked out that it nearly doubled in size by doing this. As the external laundry door is also in the room, this allows the kids to come home (after being at the pub!!) from outside directly into their bathroom, they can have a shower and head straight to bed...a few people laughed at us when we told them that we were considering the whole ageing in place when we started the reno's but it was so worth it. Our house is complete, and we are happy that we should be able to stay here for along time to come.....by the way we are only in our 40's and do not want to be renovating our 60's !!!!! Have fun with it...

If you're planning on moving before you're 60, and the neighbourhood is geared toward families, then I would not consider aging in place renovations.

I agree that universal design is good for everyone. I also agree that planning for aging in place will only make our lives easier. It seems like something that is easy to incorporate at this stage in planning. Thanks for all the tips, and we will do the ones that make sense and don't impact too much how things will look.

The neighborhood is full of young(er) parents and young children, so considering hatetoshop's comment, would it look out of place to have things like grab bars instead of sleek, modern towel bars? Although perhaps in 10-15 years, the median age of the neighborhood will have aged and buyers will appreciate having them?

Thanks for all the comments!

There are some attractive grab bars which can be put into the shower/tub area and one next to the "comfort height" (they really are easier) toilet. As mackaloco mentioned, you don't have to be elderly to use the benefits of universal design or extras...I think it is just smart.