We all have a busy schedule, so living a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge. Watch Healthy Living Today with JR Havens and Alyssa Marino to learn about healthy eating, exercise, and overall wellness. Catch Healthy Living Today every Monday on Country Morning Today.

Aging in Place

As we get older, basic things we do around our home become more difficult like climbing up stairs and taking a shower. That`s one of the reasons seniors move into nursing homes and assisted living centers. But getting older doesn`t have to mean packing up and moving. There are things that can be done in a home to make it more age friendly.

The Goldammers can still easily climb up and down a flight of stairs. Betty Jo works as a home health nurse, taking care of others. But she knows the tables will eventually turn for her and her husband.

"We`re independent and we can still live on our own and I think that`s important for people as long as they`re able to live on their own to do so but there comes a time when you need help," she said.

Betty Jo`s son, Arthur, is building a home for him and his parents that will be age friendly. His parents aren`t planning to live in the home anytime soon. The idea is for them to move in when they can no longer live on their own.

"They took care of me for 18, 20 years. It would be nice if I could give back," Arthur said.

Just about everything in the home will be accessible for people of any mobility. The doors in the home are three feet wide, to make space for walkers or wheelchairs. There`s even an elevator connecting the main floor and the basement.

"That`s very important to be active, but if I`m unable to do that, an elevator is wonderful," Betty Jo said.

But the biggest accommodations will be in the bathroom, which will feature a walk-in tub and a roll-in shower.

"The walk-in tub enables people to get in and out of the tub easier without chances of slipping or crawling over the tub flanges, roll-in showers you`ve got a low curb, easy access. Really takes the fall hazard out of most bathrooms," Arthur said.

It also eases Betty Jo`s mind to know she`ll have a comfortable and accessible home to live in with her family as she ages.

Arthur says making age-friendly accommodations doesn`t add to the appraised value of the home, but it can affect the perceived value of a home, especially if a buyer is looking for a house with those amenities.