Antony Newton of refurbishment specialist J Tomlinson addresses the implications a rising elderly population has on bathroom refurbishments and adaptations in the rental sector.
Projections show that society will age significantly over the upcoming decades. The number of people aged over 65 is expected to rise by more than 40 per cent in the next 18 years to over 16 million, and by 2040, nearly one in four people in the UK will be 65 or older, according to statistics collected by Age UK. The ageing of the population is likely to have significant implications for housing providers, who should consider adapting their housing stock accordingly.
The bathroom is one area of the home where particular attention should be paid to the choice of equipment, accessories and fabric. Specifying the right products and features can increase the lifetime of a bathroom and make it more suitable for the needs of its users as they grow older.
If building managers choose wisely, they can create bathrooms that are appropriate for tenants of all ages. Making the wrong choices could prove costly and wasteful in the long run, with unnecessary replacements and upheaval further along the line. Since low-cost maintenance and repairs are high on the wish list of housing providers, it would make good commercial sense for housing providers to set out their product specification priorities prior to carrying out any refurbishments.
Coatings and sanitaryware
There are a range of low-cost options, which can have a positive impact on the lifetime of a bathroom. Some of these are quick and simple to undertake and can reduce maintenance costs, cut utility bills and help tenants to remain independent in their homes for longer.
Opting for mould-resistant paints, for instance, is a simple solution that can make a big difference in terms of reducing mould growth and the costly maintenance bills associated with repairing mould-damaged building fabric. Choose sanitaryware carefully to ensure that the required product has been manufactured to allow for simple adaptations and modifications in the future. Raised toilet seats, for example, are more suitable for elderly residents; however, not all products on the market fit every toilet, so specifiers need to think ahead and opt for solutions that would work well with adaptations that may be necessary at some point.
Creating a walk-in or level-entry shower would enable easier accessibility, while adding slip resistant coatings in baths and showers would reduce the risk of slips or trips. These measures can be enhanced with the fitting of slip-resistant flooring. Easy-to-use tap handles, such as those in mixer taps, could also be more suitable for elderly residents compared to taps that twist, so consider this when deciding on the fittings for sinks and other sanitaryware.
Enhanced safety
For safety’s sake, it’s sensible to install anti-scalding devices for showers. These would be particularly useful for those who are at risk from burns or slips due to a sudden change of water temperature. However, such devices would be a welcome addition to any bathroom in a rented accommodation, where protection of scalds and injuries to tenants should be a top priority for facility managers.
Fitting humidistat fans will improve ventilation and reduce the risk of mould growth on the premises. While some tenants could be reluctant to turn on their extractor fans amid worries over energy bills, this is not a concern with humidistat fans, which operate automatically depending on the humidity level in the room. This alone makes these solutions a worthwhile investment, which can help protect the building fabric while keeping bathrooms safe and pleasant for residents.
Another good idea is to install water resistant screening boards instead of tiles. Boards require limited maintenance, help prevent mould growth, and are less likely to require replacing compared to grouted tiles. Apart from creating a nicer bathroom environment, it could potentially lower the refurbishment costs of void properties.
Lifetime Homes
The Lifetime Homes principle seeks to provide an accessible bathroom that has ease of access to its facilities from the outset, and potential for simple adaptation in the future to meet the residents’ changing needs. With the number of people aged 65 or over set to increase over the coming decades, we expect the number of bathroom refurbishments and adaptations to also increase accordingly and we advise housing providers to think ahead. Bathrooms can typically have a lifespan of anywhere between 20 and 40 years, depending on the housing provider.
With careful thought to the future and to the needs of current and future occupants, unnecessary costs and upheaval can be avoided if certain design decisions are made from the outset. Through our liaison with tenants, we know that strong communication and swift completion of work is of utmost importance to residents, and something that housing providers and landlords should take into account when planning such works.
Antony Newton is regeneration director at J Tomlinson