For many people, aging in place means something very simple: continuing to live safely and comfortably in the home they already know and enjoy. The good news is that making a home easier to live in doesn’t always require a major renovation. Better lighting, fewer tripping hazards, easier-to-use hardware, thoughtful storage, and a few well-placed safety features can make everyday life safer and more convenient now while helping the home continue to work as needs change.
A safer home isn’t necessarily one filled with special equipment. Start by looking at the places where everyday activities are becoming less comfortable, convenient, or secure. Then make changes that solve those particular problems while preserving as much independence as possible.
START WITH EVERYDAY SAFETY
- Consider an automatic stove shut-off device if forgetting to turn off the stove is a concern. An automatic shut-off kettle may offer similar reassurance for someone who uses one regularly.
- Keep an appropriate fire extinguisher in an accessible location and make sure the people in the home know how and when to use it. A fire blanket may provide another option for certain small fires.
- A medical alert system or other personal emergency-response device can provide a way to call for assistance after a fall or other emergency. Features vary, so consider ease of use, coverage inside and outside the home, monitoring, charging requirements, and whether automatic fall detection is available or appropriate.
Make an emergency plan that fits the person and the home. Keep important phone numbers easy to find, identify nearby people who could help, and make sure there’s a reliable way to call for assistance from the places where someone spends the most time. The best emergency plan is one that’s simple enough to use when something actually goes wrong.
MAKE FALL PREVENTION A PRIORITY
Falls are a significant concern as people get older, and many of the changes that can make a home safer are surprisingly straightforward. Start with the routes used every day and look for anything that could cause a trip, slip, or loss of balance.
- Keep hallways, stairs, and frequently traveled paths free of clutter, electrical cords, and other obstacles.
- Remove loose throw rugs or secure them so they can’t slide or curl. Use slip-resistant surfaces in areas that regularly get wet.
- Install sturdy handrails on both sides of stairways when possible and make sure existing rails are securely attached.
- Install properly secured grab bars near the toilet and in or around the shower or bathtub where support is needed. A grab bar is only helpful when it’s installed securely enough to support the person using it.
Be cautious with portable adult bed rails. Although some are designed to assist with getting into or out of bed, improperly selected or installed rails can create serious entrapment and fall hazards. If additional support around the bed is needed, choose a product that complies with current federal safety requirements, make sure it is compatible with the bed and mattress, follow installation instructions carefully, and consider professional guidance when you’re unsure what type of support is appropriate.
LIGHT THE WAY
Good lighting can make navigation easier and help reveal changes in floor level, stairs, obstacles, and other potential hazards. Look closely at stairways, entrances, hallways, bathrooms, bedrooms, and the route between the bed and bathroom at night.
Add brighter or additional lighting where needed, make switches easy to reach, and replace burned-out bulbs promptly. Motion-activated lighting can be especially useful in hallways, bathrooms, stairways, and other areas someone may enter at night.
MAKE EVERYDAY THINGS EASIER TO REACH & USE
A home becomes easier to live in when the things used most often don’t require stretching, bending, climbing, or struggling with hardware. Store frequently used items between comfortable waist and shoulder height when possible, and keep heavy objects off high shelves.
- Lever-style door handles generally require less gripping and twisting than traditional round knobs and may be easier for many people to operate.
- Reach extenders can make lightweight objects easier to retrieve without stretching or bending. They shouldn’t be used as a substitute for safely storing heavy or frequently used items within easy reach.
- Consider easier-to-operate faucets, cabinet hardware, light switches, window hardware, and other controls when existing ones become difficult to use.
PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE BATHROOM
Wet surfaces, changes in level, and the movements involved in bathing and using the toilet can make the bathroom one of the most important rooms to evaluate.
- A sturdy shower chair or bath seat may make bathing easier for someone who has difficulty standing for extended periods. Choose equipment appropriate for the person and space and follow installation and weight-limit instructions.
- A raised toilet seat or other properly selected toilet aid may make sitting and standing easier for some people. Make sure the product is stable, compatible with the toilet, and appropriate for the user’s needs.
- Anti-scald or temperature-limiting devices may help reduce the risk of excessively hot water. Installation requirements vary by plumbing system and product, so professional installation may be appropriate.
- If stepping over a bathtub wall has become difficult, consider whether a properly designed walk-in or curbless shower would make bathing safer and easier. A larger modification like this should be planned around the person’s current and anticipated mobility needs.
KEEP THE HOME COMFORTABLE
Make temperature controls easy to see, reach, and operate. A programmable or smart thermostat can simplify temperature adjustments and schedules, but choose controls the person living in the home is comfortable using. Technology should make managing the home easier, not introduce another source of frustration.
DON’T OVERLOOK ROUTINE HOME MAINTENANCE
Sometimes the best aging-in-place improvement is simply fixing something that’s already wrong. Repair loose flooring, uneven transitions, unstable railings, sticking doors, damaged steps, poor exterior walkways, and inadequate lighting before they become hazards. Keep entrances and exits easy to use and make sure smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms are properly located, working, and maintained.
PLAN FOR CHANGING MOBILITY
A home that works well today may need to work differently later. Thinking ahead can make future changes easier and sometimes less expensive.
- If a cane, walker, wheelchair, or other mobility aid is used, keep frequently traveled routes wide and clear enough to accommodate it. Mobility aids should be properly selected and fitted for the individual, ideally with guidance from an appropriate healthcare professional.
- Threshold ramps may make certain raised transitions easier to navigate, but the appropriate solution depends on the height, location, mobility device, and available space.
- In a multi-story home, think about whether important daily activities can eventually be accommodated on one level. A first-floor bedroom and accessible bathroom may be practical alternatives to relying on stairs. Stairlifts are another possibility when properly evaluated and installed.
- Keep a reliable means of communication within easy reach. Depending on the person’s preferences, that might be a mobile phone, smartwatch, voice assistant, medical alert device, or a phone with large buttons and amplified sound.
USE TECHNOLOGY WHERE IT ACTUALLY HELPS
Smart-home technology can support aging in place when it removes a physical task or makes something easier to monitor. Voice-controlled lighting, automated lights, video doorbells, smart locks, thermostats, water-leak sensors, and other devices may be useful depending on the person’s needs and comfort with technology.
But don’t make technology a requirement for basic functions. Lights, locks, thermostats, and other essential features should remain easy to operate even for someone who doesn’t want to use an app or voice assistant.
LET THE PERSON LEAD THE PLAN
Perhaps the most important part of planning for aging in place is involving the person who will actually be living there. Ask what feels difficult now, what causes concern, and what they would like to continue doing independently. A modification that looks helpful to someone else may feel unnecessary, inconvenient, or intrusive to the person expected to use it.
An occupational therapist or other qualified professional can also help evaluate how the person moves through the home and recommend changes based on individual abilities and needs, particularly when mobility, vision, balance, or other functional concerns are involved.
You don’t have to remodel the entire house because someone is getting older. Start with the places where everyday life has become a little harder, make the simple improvements first, and plan ahead for changes that may eventually matter.
Aging in place isn’t about making a home feel different. It’s about helping the home continue to feel like home while making it easier to live there.