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Much the way French wellness shop HOJO aims to help keep senior citizens healthy and independent for as long as possible, so UK home renovation firm Ruby Slippers hopes to help them enjoy their homes for as long as they can. Launched just last week, Ruby Slippers specialises in combining good design with practical functionality that can help people enjoy their home throughout their retirement years. At the heart of the Ruby Slippers service is a concept it calls “ageless design,” which essentially boils down to accommodating the effects of aging in an invisible way through smart design features that are not just stylish but also geared toward safety and comfort. Kitchens, for example, can be redesigned with colour-contrasting work surfaces and flooring for enhanced visual orientation; effortless single-lever taps; and a flush hob with level burners for safer transfer of hot pans. Bathrooms, meanwhile, can be redone to feature European-style level-access showers, stylish grab rails and an outward-opening bathroom door to ensure emergency access in case someone falls. Far from diminishing a home with ugly tools focused purely on functionality, Ruby Slippers instead aims to make homes not just more livable for seniors, but also more attractive. An “Ageless Home” audit service is available from Ruby Slippers at a special introductory price of GBP 250 including a full home audit and a written report of recommendations. Also available are design review—priced at GBP 250 as well—and handyman service for GBP 30 per hour. There were more than 519 million people aged 65 and over around the world last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and that’s expected to triple to 1.53 billion by 2050. Time to tailor some services to seniors in your part of the world…? (Related: Helping seniors relocate — Driving service for seniors — Supermarkets for seniors.) Spotted by: Top Trends via Raymond Kollau