Electrical Installation Tips for Senior Living

Door communication with a screen tells you it’s the grandchildren and not a con man at the door. (Elektro+)

Only a small percentage of older persons live in quarters that are really suited for them. That’s the view of Elektro+, a German association that seeks to market products of the electric industry. The company has some tips for seniors who are planning to build or remodel.

• Electric outlets and switches should accommodate the wheelchair user. It suggests that  outlets be 16 inches above the floor, and that switches be 33 inches up. It is also good for persons with impaired vision if the switches and outlets are of a color that contrasts with the wall, or have a small signal light.   
• There should be a door communication system. Ones on the market nowadays have screens that tell at a glance whether it is the grandchildren or a con artist at the door. With some systems you can talk to the visitor without an ear- or mouthpiece, and there are even systems that can be attached to the telephone, which is useful for immobile parties. 
• Detectors that turn on the lights when there is motion can be a guard against stumbling in the dark. They also turn the lights off when the motion stops, which is both comfortable and energy-saving.  
• There are devices that open and close the roller shutters at certain times of day or on the pressing of a button. They can also control the heating and lighting according to the wishes of the residents.
• There should be smoke detectors in every room, and they should be interlinked so that one knows in the bedroom, for example, that fire has broken out in the basement.

To view additional electrical installation tips from Elektro+, click here.

Ted Shoemaker is a now-retired writer and editor based in Frankfurt, Germany.