Quick fixes to ease aging in place

"Aging in place" is something we all are doing. Some of us are moving faster than others, but this is also a new catchphrase being used to describe the option of staying in your current home rather than moving to an assisted -living facility or some other so-called retirement community. The fact is many older folks would much rather stay in their home than move. There are some really easy and inexpensive things you can do to make your home more user-friendly to an older or less spry person.

The lever-type door handles are much easier to use when grasping and turning a standard doorknob becomes difficult. They're also very handy for all of us when our arms are full of groceries or laundry, and are inexpensive and easy to install.

Timers or motion sensors are great for lamps and other lights. They can be set to turn off and on whenever you need them, and can completely eliminate the need to reach for switches. How about clap-on lamps?

Rugs are an accident waiting to happen for anyone, but someone using a walker or wheelchair could be trapped by one. Remove them, especially the ones that don't have antiskid backing.

Add more light to your living spaces. You might not even realize the lack of light until you add more. It can make quite a bit of difference. Take a second look at your lighting and see if more would be helpful.

Add handrails and grab bars. The suction-held grab bars are easy to install just about anywhere, and no tools are required. They can be moved if need be, and they work pretty well. Adding permanent grab bars isn't very hard to do, and would be a longer-lasting addition.

These are just the basics. If you plan to move, remodel or build, check with the National Association of Home Builders for guidelines through its Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist program for more ideas that will help you age in place and in comfort!

Easy D-I-Y deck blocks

Deck blocks are a pre-cast concrete base for building and supporting a deck. They are made with a 4-by-4 square in the top of the center so that you can put a 4-by-4 post on top. There also are 2-by-4 notches in each side to use to support floor joists for the deck. They come in a standard size and are very useful for getting a deck installed in a hurry. But if you want to save money or want some that are a different size, you can make them yourself. Use a large plastic flowerpot as your mold and use a 4-by-4 and 2-by-4 scraps to create the spaces for supporting your deck.

Here's how to make a handy roll-up car tool caddy

If you travel by car, be prepared for roadside repairs when they come up. That means having a jack, a few other tools, a flashlight, radiator repair tape, signal light or flare and a few other odds and ends. A small toolbox is a good place to keep all of these things, or you can make a handy roll-up tool caddy. Use an old rubber floor or welcome mat. Then make small slits in it with a utility knife so you can weave tool handles through the holes and they will stay put on the mat. With all of the tools in place, you can roll up the mat and keep it in the car trunk right next to your spare tire. The tools won't roll around and make a racket, you can take them curbside as you make repairs, and you even will have the car mat to use should you get caught in mud or ice and need it for traction.

Super hints

• To track regular maintenance of your appliances, add a peel-and-stick label to the side or back of the unit. You can note dates, costs, sizes and other important things on the label. It will help you keep track of these events more easily.

• I work in the yard a lot. I really enjoy it. I go through gloves by the dozen and it gets expensive. I have created some work gloves that I made from an old pair of bluejeans. I traced around my hand on the fabric, cut out four of these, two for each hand. Then I sewed them together to make the gloves. You can do this with just about any fabric and you'll save yourself a bundle.

• To keep the end of a roll of tape from being the source of total frustration, just pull it up and fold the tip over onto itself. This gives you a little tab to pull on when you need some tape.

Q. I need to replace the drywall in my basement. I am going to take all of the existing material out and put in all new. Should I install it vertically or horizontally?

A. That's totally up to you. You can try it both ways and see which way will go up without so many joints to tape. Fewer cuts means it goes up faster, with less taping, bedding and sanding required.

Q. I always have a lot of sawdust around my shop. I love woodworking and I do projects a lot in my spare time. My wife wants to use some of it in our compost pile, but I wasn't sure it would be OK to use. What are your thoughts?

A. As long as you use wood that hasn't been chemically treated in any way, it should be OK. That includes all pressure-treated, painted, stained, laminated or glued woods.

Q. We plan to get a dog and need to install a chain-link fence in our back yard. I am going to use metal fence posts, but wasn't sure if I should put them into concrete or just drive them into the ground. What do you say?

A. We suggest setting the posts in concrete. They will be much more secure and less likely to lean or become loosened. Place them no farther than 10 feet apart for the best support.

Reader tips

• I'm getting more organized since my workload was cut back. I love woodworking so I created a letter/bill organizer that you might like. I had a scrap of wooden railing left over from a project I put together. I used my table saw to cut slits down the top of it, one for each day of the month. Now I can put each bill into a slot, where I will not miss it when it's time to pay or return it on time. I have used it so much I may make a second one I can use for receipts I keep for my business.

• I like to wash and wax my own car - I can do it more thoroughly. I have a little tip to share with you and your readers. I let the sun warm up the wax a little before I use it. This makes it flow on more easily. Don't overheat it, or it could ruin the wax. I haven't done that yet, but I did hear from a friend of mine that too much heat could ruin it, so be careful.

• Getting older sure is tougher than I thought. I had a small procedure done on my knee and it has taken a while to bounce back. I have done a few things around here to help, but the smartest thing I did was get my son's old skateboard out of his closet and use it to move things around the house more easily. It's the perfect way to get the garbage can outside to the curb and the laundry to the washer. I may just keep it around after I'm well, too!

• This might sound crazy, but it works. If you put a line of talcum powder in front of your vegetable plants, pests like rabbits and skunks won't cross the line. It really does work, and talcum powder is very inexpensive to use if you buy it in bulk. When it gets blown or washed away, you can just add more.

• You will love this. I took an old shower curtain and made three aprons for the kids to use. They dyed some T-shirts and would have made a huge mess except for the aprons. I just cut out the basic shapes from the shower curtain and pinned them together on the girls. It was simple and worked very well. I even was able to wash them, and have saved them to use again if the kids want to do a messy project.

Shop talk

• For summer furniture, you can't beat PVC plastic pipe. It's lightweight, inexpensive, easy to work with and weather-resistant. You can build just about any piece of furniture, or anything else, for that matter, once you have learned the basics. We have put together a sheet detailing the basics of working with the plastic pipe. Another good summer project might be a wooden picnic table. We've also got plans for a very simple, long-lasting family picnic table made from wood. This table is a one-piece design that is both safe and convenient. You can have both sheets for only $1.

• EZ Armor is a super do-it-yourself door security system. Specially designed reinforcements are installed over your hinges, locks and doorjamb to prevent break-ins. They can be installed in old and new homes and are fairly easy for an average do-it-yourselfer. You can visit the company's website, www.armorconcepts.com, and view the installation guide so you know what you are getting into. This product is hard to defeat and will give you and your family more security at a very low cost to you. It is available at Lowe's stores and online. To find out more, call (888) 582-2295.

• The Safety Turtle is a wireless alert product designed to let you know if your child, pet or anyone else you worry about enters your pool, hot tub or pond. A base station receives signals from an unlimited number of radio sensors, which can be worn on the wrist, collar or any number of other places. The sensors are waterproof and play-tolerant, are battery operated (which lasts three to four years) and work up to 150 to 200 feet from the base. There is a bypass switch and timeout on the base unit. A wireless gate alarm also is available. You should check this out online at www.safetyturtle.com.

• Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit the Carrells' website at thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2010, Cowles Syndicate Inc.