Do you plan to stay in your house or apartment as you get older because a retirement home isn’t an option for you? Then you should renovate your house in a timely manner according to your age. But such construction measures are associated with considerable costs. The good news: There are grants and financing programs that can provide you with financial support for your project under certain conditions.
This is what you will have to deal with when carrying out age-appropriate renovations
There is no general answer to how much effort it will take to renovate your home based on your age. Some measures are almost always necessary, such as a senior bathroom with a step-free shower, seats and grab bars or wide doors and barrier-free passages for walkers and wheelchairs. And no matter what room, all cabinets and shelves should be easily accessible at arm’s length.
Further action required depends on the specific nature of the property: Does the house have barrier-free access? Do I have to climb the stairs to reach another floor? Can you use your garden or balcony for the elderly? To meet all these requirements for an age-appropriate living space requires enormous structural changes and therefore corresponding financial resources. This is where grants provide valuable help.
Renovate age-appropriately: These grants and financing options are available
Below we have summarized for you what the financing programs are, what requirements must be met and how to apply for financing.
Subsidies to the nursing fund
Do you or a roommate need treatment? So-called measures to improve the living environment of people in need of care in care levels 1 to 5 are subsidized by the nursing care fund with a maximum of 4,000 euros. 
This includes significant interventions in the building structure such as door extensions, permanently installed ramps and stairlifts, as well as easy-to-maintain bathroom renovations. The adaptation of furniture to the needs of the care situation is also financially supported.
If more than one eligible person lives together, the subsidy can reach up to 4 x 4,000 euros = 16,000 euros.
Suggestion! A subsidy for home adaptation may also be granted a second time if the care situation has changed so much that further measures are necessary to improve the living environment.
Before the start of the measure it is best to informally submit an «application for subsidy for a measure to improve your individual living environment» directly to the nursing fund. You can find free sample applications to download on the Internet.
Grants and loans from the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW)
KfW offers financing products in two forms – as a directly paid grant or as a loan – which we will briefly introduce.
Renew based on age with 159 credit
Regardless of age, KfW offers a promotional loan of up to 50,000 euros for anyone who wants to reduce barriers in their home or increase their living comfort.
Suggestion! The loan is also granted for the purchase of already converted homes.
Two forms of financing are available:
- Annuity loan
During the grace period you will only pay interest. Thereafter, the monthly income (interest and reimbursement) will have the same amount. - Final loan
With a bullet loan you will only pay interest for the entire term and eventually pay off the entire loan amount in one lump sum.
You do not apply for the 159 “Age-appropriate Conversion” loan directly from KfW, but rather from a financial partner you trust, which can be your bank or any financial service provider.
Reducing the barrier with the 455-B grant
This investment contribution is also independent of age and applies to anyone who wants to reduce barriers in their home and ensure greater living comfort. KfW grants a grant of up to 6,250 euros.
Suggestion! The subsidy is also granted for the purchase of already converted living spaces.
You can apply for the 455-B “Barrier Reduction” grant directly from KfW in the KfW grants portal:
Link to the KfW grant portal
Conclusion
Renovating for your age is not cheap! Widening doors, accessibility inside and outside the apartment, facilities for the elderly… every single measure puts a strain on your wallet. It is therefore worth taking advantage of the grants and loans available for these purposes, provided that the requirements are met.
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