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If you live in the greater Seattle area, a visit to the shop Beverly's Daughter, formerly known as the Aging at Home store in Ballard can be an educational experience for people looking to safely age at home. 

Who should shop here  

People thinking about home safety, aging in place, caregivers and those in need of home medical modifications, both temporary and permanent. Also, people curious as to what any of that means.

Getting into and out of a recliner can be problematic for those with various weaknesses. The recliner at right raises the sitter to a standing position, thus relieving strain on weak back, arm and leg muscles.

What you won't find here 

This is not where you should go for advice on structural remodels or designs and builds best directed at a CAPS (certified aging in place specialist) architect or designer. You won’t always find the most attractive or stylish options for every circumstance-as I describe below-as in some cases the products are meant to address a solution for a period of rehab or a non-permanent stage in the process of an illness. At the same time, you will not find aggressive sales tactics or pushy sales people. 

What you will find 

This is a great place for those looking to add details to their home to increase safety. I would definitely place the focus of this store is on the medical aspects of the idea of aging in place, as does the description on the website, www.agingathome.com. 

The store is divided into two sections. The first contains products including kitchen accessories, like OXO Good Grips products, hydraulic and electrical chair lifts and walking aids, like walkers and canes. There is even a section for smart shoes and compression socks and stockings. 

The showroom side trades in display shelves for rooms with products “in use”, starting in the living room. A stability pole set up in front of a couch demonstrates a practical option for assistance in getting up. This is one of those not-so-attractive-yet-practical options I alluded to; an alternative, for example, when replacing hard to get out of furniture is either unaffordable or the user’s condition is temporary. The TV is set up in front of the couch to demonstrate how a system of home alerts would work.

Transfer chair (left) helps a person bathe. Grab bars (above) don't look institutional. 

Moving on, a full size bathtub sits in the corner with a bath lift set up inside (left).  The shower next to it displays a number of different ways to incorporate safety, such as the grab bar disguised as a soap holder (above right).   

 

A lift railing runs the length of the showroom floor from the bathtub to the bedroom, giving a visual example of how it might function in the home. The bed on display is a Made in America dual adjustable bed -- meaning one foundation supports two mattresses allowing each sleeper to program the mattress to the preferred position.

The hammock at left is attached to a ceiling-mounted railing that can carry a person from bed to bathroom. 

 

 

 

 

 

The loop of the showroom ends in the kitchen, where high shelving can be pulled down and low shelving pulled up, both with little indication to the user of the weight the shelving may hold. 

What the service is like 

I’ve been to the store three times and each time found it tailored to the degree I needed it each time I visited. 

I first heard of the store through a radio ad last year. When I arrived, I was offered a tour but as I really only had time for a quick peek, I was left to wander around. My second time in was to meet owner Laura Berry and her marketing manager, Tamar Shdo. A member of the staff then gave me the guided tour. Having had hands-on caregiver experience, I could appreciate what I was seeing although I got the impression that my guide would have been just as helpful to someone new to caregiving. 

My third time in the store was personal to look for tools to aid in the care of a family member in the last stages of a terminal illness. After some explanation, I was given advice as to what tools could be of help for my family member's care. 

Why you’ll like the store

While you may not get all the advice you need for greater structural needs or remodels, a guided tour through the store will set you up with information to make informed choices at home, even beyond products the store offers. My experience was tailored to my needs on each occasion and I think that is something everyone can appreciate.

Beverly's Daughter
1555 NW Market Street
Seattle, WA 9810
(206) 782-4464

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More Aging at Home store photos can be found on our Facebook page