Living independently in your own four walls into old age – that’s what most people want. In Germany, however, housing suitable for senior citizens is in short supply. According to figures from the KfW development bank and the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Home Affairs, around three million households in this country had residents with limited mobility at the end of 2018. However, there were only around 560,000 barrier-free apartments – that is just 1.5 percent of the 37 million apartments and single-family houses in Germany.
According to the KfW study, this large supply gap will continue to exist in the future, according to which around two million barrier-free apartments for people with physical disabilities will be missing in 2035. Due to increasing legal requirements, an average of 52,000 newly built barrier-free apartments are to be expected each year, and an additional 12,500 units will be created because more and more houses are being converted to suit their age. Demographic change and the trend towards single households are also increasing demand. In order to resolve the imbalance between the supply of housing and the actual need, government investment incentives are therefore necessary.
Barriers limit independence and lead to accidents and falls
Renovations and new buildings can significantly improve the quality of life of those affected and their relatives, because stairs, thresholds, too small movement areas and doors that are too narrow make life difficult for many elderly or disabled people. Not only do they restrict the residents, accidents and falls occur again and again. Often the living situation also prevents care at home by relatives or caregivers, so that moving to a home becomes inevitable.
So if you want to continue living in the familiar four walls, even if you are dependent on a wheelchair or walker, you should convert the apartment or house in good time or look around for suitable living space. Important to know: The basic standard DIN 18040-2 defines the basis for barrier-free building and living in Germany. It defines the technical requirements under which structures are barrier-free, and differentiates between “barrier-free” and “unrestricted wheelchair use” apartments.
While wheelchair-accessible apartments are also barrier-free at the same time, as higher standards apply to them, for example with regard to door width and movement areas, the other way round does not necessarily apply. Many apartments only partially meet the requirements of the DIN standard, so terms such as “low-barrier”, “age-appropriate” or “senior citizen” should be taken into account when looking for an apartment.
Those affected should therefore always clarify exactly in advance to what extent the living space offered corresponds to their own expectations. The rental, purchase or construction contract should also specify which equipment features of the DIN standard have been implemented in the apartment. This is the only way tenants and buyers can obtain legal certainty that their apartment or house will also meet the relevant criteria.
Stand-up aids, night lights with motion detectors, height-adjustable washbasins
While accessibility is easy to plan and implement in new buildings, this is often more difficult in existing apartments. But it is possible to break down barriers almost everywhere. “Unfortunately, this often only happens when there is already an acute need and suddenly everything has to be adjusted very quickly, for example because a resident who is physically handicapped due to a fall will soon be released from the hospital and return to his apartment,” says Theo Piltz, housing consultant in of the Hanover region.
It is better to take precautions earlier. At the latest when it is foreseeable that your own mobility or that of relatives will decrease, you should deal with the necessary renovation work. A first step could also be to seek professional help for planning. Local advice centers and senior citizens’ offices offer extensive information (including financial assistance) free of charge, and if necessary, advisors often come to the apartment or house in question.
However, renovation work of the same size does not always have to be tackled. Even removing tripping hazards such as carpets or cables, adequate lighting and handholds on the bed and in the bathroom can make everyday life much easier for older people and help prevent falls. “Especially when it comes to small aids, there is often a great need for advice,” says Piltz, “because many of those affected are not even aware of what is available there – from electric stand-up aids or night lights with integrated motion detectors, to height-adjustable washbasins, and windows or blinds to be opened and closed remotely. “
From a structural point of view, an elementary prerequisite for senior-friendly living space is stepless access to the house entrance and, in the case of apartments, also to the higher floors. If there is no elevator, stairlifts can help. A wheelchair-accessible path or a ramp can be created for unhindered access to the house. A floor-level shower should also be part of the basic equipment in the living room. These and other modifications such as wider doors or height-adjusted light switches, sockets and door handles can be easily implemented in many apartments.
A sticking point is often the access to terraces or balconies. Here thresholds often make the transition to the open more difficult. If the balcony and living room are on the same level, compensation is relatively easy, then only a threshold-free door has to be installed. However, if there is a difference in height between the two areas, a ramp is needed, for example. Architects can examine whether and how measures can be implemented, but also carpenters and metal workers who specialize in senior-friendly living.
The remodeling of the bathroom and kitchen in particular poses major challenges for planning, as the areas required by the DIN standard are often not available here. A bathroom that is too small can hardly be converted into a barrier-free wet room. Nevertheless, even small rooms can usually be adapted in such a way that, for example, a wheelchair user can cope better despite the small area. A floor-to-ceiling shower can be installed almost anywhere, and so can foldable handles on the toilet. The door width can usually be changed without any problems and a sliding door can be installed instead of a conventional door.
What about financial aid?
One thing is clear: converting an apartment or house into an age-appropriate or barrier-free living space causes costs that can be very high, depending on the initial situation. For example, removing door sills costs a few hundred euros, installing a stair lift costs around 8,000 euros, and a floor-level shower can cost up to 10,000 euros, depending on the standard.
Depending on the living situation, financial help is available for the renovation. Anyone planning such measures can get a cheap loan from the Kreditbank für Wiederaufbau (KfW) as part of the “Age-Appropriate Remodeling” program. KfW gives up to 50,000 euros to owners who want to make their house or apartment barrier-free or barrier-free.
Tenants who want to remodel their apartment with the landlord’s consent can also get a loan, as can people who are planning to buy newly renovated, age-appropriate living space. Alternatively, the program offers a grant of a maximum of 6250 euros. If you want to use this, you should submit the application at the beginning of the year if possible, as the funds for this are budgeted by the federal budget. Funding is available regardless of age and physical limitations; it is open to all population groups.
Many federal states also promote barrier-reducing renovation measures and the creation of barrier-free living space through their state credit institutions – also with loans, some states also with grants. The long-term care insurance also reimburses residents with a degree of care for the costs of aids and structural improvements. For example, it pays the costs for the care bed or for a house emergency call.
Expenses for widening doors, remodeling the kitchen, installing a floor-level shower or a stair lift are also reimbursed. The subsidy for renovations is a maximum of 4,000 euros for all measures that are applied for at the same time. Entitlement exists from care level 1 and can also be granted a second time if further investments are necessary for a barrier-free life.