With the stock market in turmoil and housing in a slump, appliance manufacturers are taking the long view and retooling their offerings for aging baby boomers.
In the kitchen, General Electric Co. is designing ovens with easier-to-open doors and automatic shut-off burners. A joint venture of Germany’s Bosch and Siemens AG has introduced a glass cook top for its premium Thermador brand designed to prevent boil-overs. In the bathroom, Moen is trumpeting new grab bars that can support a 350-pound person, and Kohler is devising easier-to-handle faucet levers. Minnesota-based Truth Hardware reports booming sales for its remote-controlled window motors.
The offerings are largely geared for the roughly 76 million baby boomers — born between 1946 and 1964 — who control the biggest share of purchasing power for the roughly $25 billion U.S. appliance market. And many of these people are demanding appliances that help them cope with the aches, pains and other infirmities they confront as they grow older. In addition, more than half of Americans are expected to have elder-care responsibilities within 10 years, and many will likely want their homes to be senior-friendly.
Remodeling the bathroom is a good starting place to make a home more sustainable for aging in place. AARP research shows that more than half (52%) of American homeowners age 45 and older are interested in remaining in their homes as they get older. Green remodeling reduces monthly utility bills while universal design elements increase comfort and improve lifestyle, and all people — no matter their age — appreciate additional comfort and safety. Today, advances in technology make it possible to improve both convenience and performance.
Additional features that are popular for the enlarged spa master bath:
Exercise equipment such as stationary bicycle, and treadmill;
Separate tub with features such as warm air injected through tubing that creates a massage and aroma therapy experience accompanied by music systems integrated into the tub itself and chromatherapy lights to induce that relaxed mood;
A separate shower without entry barriers in case the homeowners ever need to wheel in. One way to achieve this is to have the floor gently slope toward a perimeter drain at the far side. Continue reading →
