The Best Flooring Options for Elderly People
Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2017, by
All your needs undergo a change as you continue to age. The same is true for your flooring. You may need to consider replacing your old, possibly risky or high-maintenance flooring with something more suitable as you get older. Ideally, the flooring material should be soft so that it could protect your joints and bones in case of a fall or slip. Besides this, the cleaning and maintenance of the flooring should also be relatively easier. This is because a lot of elderly people have mobility problems and find it hard to keep up with house maintenance tasks.
Here is a list of some of the most suitable flooring options for the elderly:
Cork
Cork is considered to be among the safest flooring options for the elderly. Not only does it have a soft surface, but it is also quite simple to clean. An advantage of cork flooring is that it minimizes the risk of trips and slips because it naturally has a non-slip surface. Besides this, cork is an excellent insulator and helps in cutting cooling and heating costs too. You simply need to be careful about one thing when installing cork flooring: keep it as dry as you possibly can. This means all kinds of liquid spills would have to be cleaned immediately to prevent damage.
Carpet
Carpet is known to be a highly cushiony material and is extremely comfortable for the feet. It is also helpful in providing some amount of protection against injuries resulting from fall and trips. In addition to this, carpets lend a lot of warmth to a room and this is especially appreciated during the winter season. The dense material of a carpet can work as a brilliant insulator and retain greater heat thereby keeping the room nice and cozy.
Vinyl
Vinyl is among the easiest floors to have as far as maintenance is concerned. This flooring is highly resistant to water damage as well as stains. In order to clean vinyl flooring, you simple need to sweep it clean every other day. This makes vinyl a good flooring option for the elderly who may not have the required help or support to keep the house clean and need to do it themselves. It is also possible to add padding to your vinyl flooring with a cork or felt layer. This will lend the vinyl floor a nice and soft feel.