For If you’re thinking about building in the Poconos because there’s so much to do here, you may not have “aging-in-place” on your mind. After all, you’re active and in good health. Why would you want to concern yourself with issues that face “more mature” people? Is it even something that will affect you?

The fact is that even if the concept of aging-in-place doesn’t apply to you now, it’s something more and more Americans are thinking about. AARP has reported that more than 80 percent of U.S. residents over the age of 45 plan to remain in their homes as long as possible—even if they will need assistance.

How does that affect you if you’re considering building a new home in the Poconos? For one thing, there’s a lot more to the whole concept of aging-in-place than grab bars in the shower and ramps for your entrance ways. It’s really more about building a beautiful, stylish home that meets your needs now—and will continue to do so well into the future.

• Floor Plans: A significant component in preparing for the future is choosing a floor plan that will accommodate current and future needs. It’s one reason so many of our floor plans offer single-level living options. Even if you have a home with guest rooms on the second floor, these plans provide everything you need on one level. The nice thing is that it’s convenient now, and if stairs are ever an issue in the future, you simply don’t need to be concerned with them.

• It’s About More Than Appearance: When you build a home that will continue to meet your needs as you age, it doesn’t mean it has to look like it’s designed for “older” people. Open designs and wider hallways and doors are trends in their own right anyway. They lend to a more open, spacious feel. The same is true with bathroom design. Nobody thinks twice anymore about a step-through shower. It’s a great new look and it’s a feature that you won’t have to adapt later. Locating outlets and countertops so that they are more easily accessible doesn’t make your kitchen look odd—it makes it look modern.

• Planning Can Equal Savings: By making certain adjustments to your home plans now, you can avoid the expense of having to retrofit things later. Building slightly wider hallways and doors may cost a bit more currently, but not nearly as much as it will if you try to remodel an existing home years down the road.

• Future Convenience: With a little foresight and planning, you can avoid a major move later in life. In addition to the expense of moving, it’s simply not an easy thing to do. If you create a place you love, wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to leave it?