Have you seen this?

Here is a link that might be useful: age in place kitchen

Thanks for the suggestions ladies! I'm also in my mid 50's but my arthritis is severe and is in my spine. I also try to stay very active with swimming, walking and yoga. But, I have many days where I just can't bend. So, since we are doing a major remodel - we have to think of the future. We have hard wood floors throughout our house. I'm planning to have some counters lowered by 2 - 4". Appliances are the real issue - dish drawers, oven and microwave placement, and induction cook top are already in the plan. I haven't figured out the refrigerator/freezer issue, as the freezer is already an issue. Our kitchen is small, so there is limited space for freezer drawers. I'm also planning on drawers instead of cabinets and shelves.
I'll keep you posted as we move forward. The final plans should be ready in the next week or so.

Do post what you are doing because it will be of interest to others on this site I'm sure.
A large part of what we did was to make it as easy to keep clean for my hands. That would apply to a bad back as well.

DH and I are 63 and our kitchen is on the home stretch. A few things we've done...

1) pulls on cabs and drawers are 5 inches long and have a 1+ inch grab space--can be opened with a pinky
2) space inside G-shaped kitchen between two long sides is 6.5 feet. You can spin a walker or a wheel chair in there.
3) small table and a desk are table-height; either could be used for chair-seated worker.
4) 4 breadboards--pull-out work surface that allows worker to sit at stool with knees under the work; two of the pull-out stations allow temporary storage of scraps, compost, flour residue, etc. within drawer offset from work surface--just slide hand or knife to the side to clear the debris. This cuts down on the need to stand on sore feet. Also allows vice-devices such as apple corer or pasta machine to be used more efficiently. Breadboards are slightly less than 2 inches lower than countertops.
5) Although I don't think we need to buy faucets for old age until we're older because they're easy enough to change out, our new faucets have single handle control and they arc well over the sink area to cut bending and leaning. Sink is no deeper than 8 inches and we use a dishpan which can be turned sideways to raise the bottom of basin even more when used in the double basin sink. Detergent dispenser is nice (gotta set up that reservoir system some day to eliminate crawl under sink).
6) Roll-out drawers in lower cabs allow me to store baking gear below waist level, cutting out an awkward reach into uppers; we did get two cabs in lower area, but each has after-market roll-out.
7) Space for two or more cooks invites helpers to join in without inconveniencing or displacing anyone.
8) Keeping the renovation within budget keeps the house affordable for old age occupancy. Generally, we've avoided many options for dust-collecting surfaces but the size of the kitchen does require some dusting. DH has just installed an additional hot air and cold air return, which seems to have solved a temperature issue, but this was after the deepest cold snap, so gotta wait to see how this works next January. It is our goal to keep the cost of operation below our pre-renovation utility bill despite increase in square footage. (Project has included geothermal energy, attic insulation, new windows, blown-in insulation, basement rim insulation.)
9) Two five-foot Gel-Pro mats have improved standing for tasks; oak floor shows less dirt than previous vinyl floor and isn't much harder on feet and legs. Wood floor with waterbased urethane is easier to clean than the old floor.
10) New range has small oven above large oven--better for small meals or standard baking.
11) Range hood has "turn off after 10 minutes" setting which saves extra trips.
12) Utility closet holds table leaves, items previously stored in garage and basement, and dog food (eliminates trips into garage which require 2 stair steps).
13) doors shut off kitchen from dining/rest of house--cuts sound when hard of hearing person needs to be isolated (dishwasher sound, dehydrator sound, television, loud visitors, "Car Talk" on radio, etc.). Door to basement can shut out pets if necessary for visitors and for eliminating airborne doghair when preparing food for guests.
14) plenty of light for all task and reading areas, dimmable; general ceiling lighting has switches within room and also in lobby and dining room--cuts steps
15) We've put our heavy silverware box on the top shelf of a blind corner cab accessible from the outside of the peninsula. No more need to bend to the floor to raise it. I hope to get a roll-out shelf (similar to a keyboard rollout for a desk) installed in there so it's just as easy to access this stuff as it is the everyday stainless in the flatware drawer.

I wish I'd known more about raising dishwasher height but by the time I did, our design wouldn't have allowed it without a change in window position and view from curb.

Standing is my enemy. My back used to go out on me whenever I worked toward a dinner party and/or when I cleaned up afterward. The "gotta go lie in bed to straighten my backbone" syndrome hasn't happened to me at all since we've had the new kitchen, although I'm now wearing prescription shoes almost all the time. Previously there were times when I absolutely hated the dishwasher because of the bending.

When choosing a television and/or radio for universal design, be sure the volume can be made good and loud. We like our tv/radio/CD unit but it doesn't allow enough volume. Not sure if a built-in or auxiliary sound system would have improved this. Currently I'm listening to Harry Potter on CD and I have to detach the computer and haul it about with me in order to hear. Yes, I will need to get a hearing aid, but when something has a volume button on it, it should give volume, yes?

>Currently I'm listening to Harry Potter on CD and I have to detach the computer and haul it about with me in order to hear.

Why not just get a pair of bluetooth earphones?

Our plan has a raised bit of counter for the dishwasher and undercounter microwave for less bending. The space from knee to shoulder height is precious, you may give up some window or openness to get more utility.

We are planning on lots of lighting. I'm getting an articulated faucet so I don't have to reach for the water. Bad eyes, ears, backs and knees are pretty standard. And look for an oven that has a timer so you can only turn it on for an hour or less, instead of one that can be left on.

I'm putting a wet bar plus upstairs for days when the stairs are a challenge.

We went with Marmoleum to be easier on my feet and back. I am in my 40s but have had foot problems since my 20s. On the occasions that I have had pinched nerves in my feet, I could feel the difference between hardwood, ceramic and carpet, only multiplied. I have been more careful with footwear and try to wear padded sandals when standing to cook in the house in the summer instead of going barefoot like I used to do. With our new softer floors, I may be able to loosen up on that a little.

I was careful not to put in an above counter wall oven and our aisle widths are generous (with an open plan adjacent to the kitchen). We did like others here and used pulls that had a decent projection to be able to open easily. We also got all drawers and our tall cabs have pullouts. Whether for us in (much) later years or for resale, designing to be handicap accessible is a good thing if you can swing it. You also never know when someone will break a leg or foot and temporarily need to access things.

We also moved our laundry room up to our main level (in a ranch), so no more stairs and going all the way across the bsmt to access it. Our access to the screened in porch we added was a shallow step down. I had wanted it flush, but there was a reason the gc said this was better. It would easily adapt to a small transition ramp. We also used pocket doors for our bedroom and laundry room to not have to worry about swing area.

I don't think any of the things mentioned will be noticeable in a style way unless someone is looking for that.

It's amazing how quickly time passes and conditions that seemed a long ways off at 35yrs. are soon an issue at 50yrs.old.and beyond.
I worked w/ older people for many years after college, and was always so frustrated when issues simple-at-the-time-of-construction had been overlooked and thus did not allow someone to live --- either at all or at least not comfortably in his/her house. An issue really worth paying attention to.
Hardware on cabinets
Levers in place of knobs
Appliance placement
Room layout
are all things that come to mind. Someday I'll bet people will want to make it a separate forum (kitchen/bathrooms/other rooms --- ADA-compliant/Universal Design/age in place -- lots of interesting ideas out there and new products all the time.)

We did a lot of the same when re-doing our kitchen, reading up through resources like the AARP guidelines. Most of these things -- comfort-testing pulls, induction cooktop, drawers, lighting, paying attention to heights -- generally improve the overall functioning of the kitchen and do not detract from your chosen style. Space was an issue, and we did think we were cutting it tight on aisles. However, my DH recently had surgery, and gladly he was able to get around and use the kitchen with wheel chair and then walker while recovering.
But, a wheelchair could not get into the bathroom, and the walker had to be significantly manouevered. Now that we are redoing our master bathroom, we are making sure that it is accessible: new wider doorway, ADA-height toilet, open under-the-sink areas, no-curb shower, reinforced walls, and items that don't look like grab bars but which can be helpful if needed beside the toilet and in the shower.

warmfridge posted about her kitchen since she has back problems. i've linked to it below.

hi dianalo... could you elaborate on what this meant? i am still debating doing this so i don't have to bend. thanks. :)

I was careful not to put in an above counter wall oven....

Here is a link that might be useful: Ergonomic remodel for back injury (pic heavy)

Wow, have I learned a lot! Thanks for the input. I think the big issue is the frig/freezer. I'll work on it. I have designed my new kitchen with enough space for a wheelchair (not using one yet), looking at a Smeg 36" dishwasher or dish drawers, induction cook top, and wall oven. I'll probably add a tapmaster.

My KD is coming this week. I'll post drawings. Thanks for all of your help and suggestions.

Ironcook - if a wall oven is placed too high, it could not be reached/used from wheelchair height. I also made sure the racks were pullouts so that it is easy to reach food.
None of us need handicap accessible features, but you never know and it can be a major resale point. In our area, all new construction is of colonials with bedrooms all upstairs. Previous new houses were colonials and hi ranches. Ranches have not been built here since the 50s, and many have been added onto to be multistory. In the past, I have had buyers looking for a house that was handicap accessible and every time, they had to buy a one level home and rip it all out in the interior.
I have had foot issues from time to time where I am not supposed to stand on my feet to rest them as they "unpinch". It is not often, but when it happens (3 times in 20 years), it is difficult. The last time, I used a desk chair to propel myself around to stay off my feet. If my oven had been up high, it would have precluded using it comfortably. Ours was installed slightly higher than our stove's oven. It is no issue for my back so far and I use it a lot since nothing other than micro is connected, lol.

thanks for replying, dianalo. that makes sense. i guess i won't beat myself up anymore since i'm probably not going to make the oven counter-level after all.

forgot to mention that we've insulated the niche the DW sits in--dampens operating sound

A second visiting friend has mentioned how much less noise our DW makes compared to hers. We have an older Whirlpool Gold model; the stick-on insulation is eDead, used for autos also. Order from Iowa online.

Jane(rococogirl) just posted a kitchen over at Atticmag that looks like they had Universal Design in mind when designing it. The aisles are nice and wide. There are no uppers. There are blocks of taller cabinetry, none of which look like they are over 6' high. That would put the tallest shelf at about 5' high or lower. The only really tall thing looks like the frig, but the compressor is probably on top. There is open knee space under the sink, and the pipes are designed to be attractive underneath there. The cabinetry appears to be able to roll out from under the counters. It's a really neat space. Very modern, but nice ideas that could be translated into other looks. I'm not sure where the DW is in the kitchen, as there are only 2 pics.

laxsupermom... wow, good eye. the article doesn't mention it, but you could see it.

based on what dianalo wrote, i wondered about the wall oven; but i think if it has those gliding racks, it would still be okay? i guess one could switch to those side-opening door ovens if necessary. or remove the warming drawer and move the oven lower.

thanks for posting.

How about an inset sink, so you can pull up a stool? They did that back in the 40s and 50s when women worked their butts off in the kitchen and I want it!

This cool ad kitchen linked below even has it under the cooktop--same principle. I think it might be worth losing a few inches of storage when you're making candy!

Here is a link that might be useful: cooktop kneehole