Aging in place is the preferred way to get older for many adults.
In fact, numerous surveys and studies — including a 2022 study in the Delaware Journal of Public Health — show that a majority of adults prefer to stay in their homes for as long as possible.
However, simply remaining in the home where you’ve always lived may not be feasible for all seniors. In some cases, stairs and other physical characteristics of the home can make it more difficult to move around and stay in place long term.
Here are 12 things you can do to make your home safer and more comfortable for aging in place.
[READ: What Is an Aging Plan and How to Make One]
1. Start Planning Early for Aging in Place
Aging is inevitable, so you’ll need to plan ahead for your potential health needs. It’s never too early to start talking about aging plans. Adult children should begin asking their parents questions about how — and where — their want to grow old.
“It’s an important reminder not to wait until there’s a health crisis,” says Josh Klein, CEO and founder of Emerest Health, a home care company based in New York City.
And this isn’t just one conversation; instead, it should be an open-ended, ongoing discussion about what your parent wants and what you’ll be able to provide for them.
“Conversations should include choices not only about long-term care but also advance care preferences,” says Dr. Susan C. Stone, senior medical director with L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest publicly operated health plan in the nation. She is double board-certified in emergency medicine and hospice and palliative medicine.
The earlier you can begin these discussions and start acting on them, the better.
“Making small changes now can help you avoid scrambling to make big changes later on when you have limited capacity,” says James Bowdler, London-based founder of PrimeCarers, a service that connects individuals with home health care services.
One way to get started is by connecting with a geriatric care manager or a care coordinator who can come into your home and complete a home safety and senior living assessment, says Stacey Eisenberg, a senior care expert and owner of A Place At Home of North Austin in Round Rock, Texas.
These senior care experts can:
— Recommend ways to make the home safer
— Outline what senior-specific resources might be available in the area
— Develop a care plan
— Be an asset in the community if any situation arises
You may also wan to consult with a certified aging-in-place specialist (CAPS) to help design appropriate modifications for your home. A certified aging-in-place specialist is a professional trained to modify homes to help older adults live safely, independently and comfortably in their homes for longer. You can find a CAPS near you by using the directory of the National Association of Home Builders, with the CAPS filter.
[Read: Senior Home Care: Services, Costs and Tips for Aging in Place]
2. Eliminate Fall Hazards to Create a Safer Home
Safety and fall prevention should be the first priorities in creating an environment that’s conducive to aging in place. Falls are the leading cause of injury in adults 65 and older — with reports showing about 14 million adults fall each year.
“Seniors typically have less mobility and physical agility, and their senses can be diminished,” says Diana Melichar, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified registered architect and interior designer and owner of Melichar Architects in Lake Forest, Illinois.
The concept of universal design can help as you make modifications to your environment. Universal design aims to make spaces accessible for everyone, no matter what mobility challenges or disabilities they might have. Some of these accommodations may be costly or difficult to enact, but universal design elements you should look to add include:
— No-step entries to the bathtub and all doorways
— Doorways and halls that are wide enough for walkers and wheelchairs
— More lighting
— Light fixtures that don’t require a ladder or step-stool to change the lightbulbs
[READ: Best Exercises for Preventing Falls in Older Adults.]
For many older adults, hazards can abound in the home as they’ve accumulated stuff over the years. In fact, even a fear of falls can actually increase your risk of it happening. To reduce or prevent dangers, such as falls, you should:
— Remove clutter and widen walkways
— Eliminate area rugs that are tripping and slipping hazards
— Replace rugs or mats with non-slip options to reduce the risk of slips and falls
— Check carpeting for frayed edges
— Increase lighting by using higher output LED bulbs
3. Upgrade Lighting for Better Vision and Safety
Many homes don’t have adequate lighting, which can pose a real challenge for seniors with declining vision.
To improve lighting around the house:
— Install motion-sensing nightlights near the bed and bathroom to make any middle-of-the-night treks from bed to toilet safer.
— Add task lighting, such as bedside and floor lamps to brighten dark spaces.
— Cover or move any power cords out of the way so they’re not a trip hazard.
— Install more ambient lighting, such as recessed lights.
For in-wall light switches, consider replacing conventional toggle light switches with paddle light switches, which can be operated with the touch of a finger and are more straightforward to use.
[SEE: Tools and Devices to Improve Life and Mobility With Arthritis]
4. Reduce Strain With Aging-Friendly Modifications
Stairs pose a real challenge to many older adults, as arthritic knees and hips make navigating these areas challenging.
It may not be possible to eliminate all stairs without moving to a new house, but single-floor living — even converting a dining room into a bedroom, for instance — is best.
“Adding a primary bedroom suite to the first floor of your home is ideal. If that’s not possible, then adding a stairlift or elevator is a second choice,” Melichar says.
Likewise, small movements can become problematic for those with arthritis in the hands, wrists or fingers. This can make small movements, such as turning a doorknob, painful.
“Upgrading to lever-style door handles allows seniors to open doors without straining their hands and wrists,” says Ron Shimek, president of Mr. Handyman, a Neighborly company headquartered in Waco, Texas.
5. Improve Bathroom Accessibility
“Bathrooms are notoriously slippery,” Shimek notes. “Modifications, such as increasing support and providing firmer footing, are essential.”
Common-sense bathroom modifications seniors should make often include:
— Adding nonslip shower floors
— Installing grab bars in the shower and alongside toilets
— Adding a raised toilet
— Installing a walk-in tub
— Adding a seat or a padded bench in the shower
— Changing out a showerhead for a handheld nozzle to enable sitting while rinsing off
— Swapping in lever-style sink handles for harder-to-turn knob-style handles
— Replacing glass shower enclosures with non-shattering material
6. Make the Kitchen Safer
Relocating kitchen appliances from upper cabinets to waist height can also reduce risk of injury. Plus, countertop appliances will be more accessible for seniors who have difficulty reaching overhead:
— Lowering counters, shelves and cabinets for seniors who use a wheelchair can make it easier for them to prepare meals.
— Purchase a stove with safety features that alert you when a burner is left on.
7. Widen Doorways for Mobility Devices
Standard doorways are typically too narrow to accommodate walkers, wheelchairs and similar mobility devices.
“Mobility challenges are often a part of aging, and without easy passage from room to room, seniors can feel frustrated, isolated and restricted,” Shimek says.
Unfortunately, widening doorways is not as simple as replacing a door knob because it requires working with a contractor who understands how to modify the home appropriately for aging in place. While this is a bigger investment, it can make a big difference in keeping you in your home in the long term.
8. Add Ramps for Home Entry
To ease entry into the house, add a ramp.
“For older adults relying on walkers or wheelchairs, steps can be impossible and severely limit their mobility,” Shimek says. “Installing ramps can eliminate obstacles and give seniors more independence.”
Ramps can also be useful for creating transitions between flooring surfaces to help minimize the risk of tripping or falling.
“This home modification for the elderly must be performed by licensed and experienced professionals to ensure the correct height and rise for safety,” Shimek adds.
9. Use Smart Home Technology to Support Aging in Place
Smart devices, such as smart appliances and intelligent lighting, can make aging in place safer and more convenient. In many cases, you can control lighting, temperature and other conveniences with a simple click or by giving a voice command on your smartphone.
10. Install a Home Monitoring System
Home monitoring systems, which may come with medical alert systems, can alert caregivers and family members to unusual activity, falls and other emergencies.
As an important security measure, a doorbell that has a camera in it can also make it easier to keep tabs on who’s coming and going at the house.
11. Choose Adjustable Furniture for Senior Comfort
Adjustable beds and recliners can be a good option to provide better comfort and mobility support. Make sure the bed is easy to get in and out of. Purchase bed risers?, if needed. Invest in an adjustable bed for extra comfort.
“Lift chairs can support seniors to get to a standing position, if they have difficulties on their own from a seated position,” Eisenberg says.
Make sure all of the furniture in the house is safe and sturdy; get rid of any rickety antiques that could fall apart under normal usage.
12. Control Moisture to Reduce Illness Risk to Seniors
Aging often means becoming more vulnerable to colds and other illnesses because the immune system starts to weaken.
You can help offset increased disease risk by keeping your home warm and dry. Periodically running a dehumidifier in your living room and bedroom can help remove moisture from the air.
This approach will reduce your chance of developing pulmonary diseases, Bowdler says.
Aging in Place Shopping List
The following items may make it safer and more convenient for older adults to age in place:
[CHART]
Potential Drawbacks to Aging in Place
While many older adults would prefer to age in place, there are some potential problems that come with it:
— Isolation and loneliness. Seniors with declining mobility may be less able to get out of the house. You need a plan in place, such as in-home visits, technology-based interactions and social outings, to prevent loneliness and associated physical issues and depression.
— Masking decline. An older adult living alone may try to hide their physical or mental decline to avoid moving to a senior living facility or hiring in-home care. Even family members who visit frequently may not observe problems until a crisis situation. You’ll need to stay vigilant for any changes that indicate your loved one’s health is faltering.
— Financial burdens. Aging in place may not be affordable for every senior, particularly those in older homes or on fixed incomes. Making the necessary adjustments or renovations to the home to enable a senior to continue living there can be finically prohibitive for many seniors. And over time, care expenses typically grow.
— Safety issues. Even after making safety upgrades, older adults aging in place alone are still vulnerable to falls and other hazards, such as experiencing a health emergency when no one else is around to assist.
Creating a Multigenerational Household
While many seniors may wish to stay in their own home and age with their spouse or alone, multigenerational households provide a solution to the potential loneliness, isolation and financial burden of living separately from other family members.
“Moving an older adult in with younger family members provides closeness,” Klein says. “You’re able to share daily life and support each other, and it can also save money compared to senior housing.”
What’s more, it also helps create a “sense of community and belonging,” which can benefit both the older and younger generations, Stone says.
Creating a multigenerational household is also “a great way to preserve cultural traditions, values and languages,” she adds.
However, multigenerational households can also bring challenges, Klein says, including:
— A loss of privacy or personal space
— Increased caregiving burden on younger family members
— A clash of values or priorities
— Quarrels about finances and responsibilities
To help alleviate some of these potential issues, Klein recommends thinking of this process as “blending households, not just moving someone in.”
To make this work, it’s important to discuss boundaries and how to balance everyone’s needs before the decision is made to move the family member in. It’s also a good idea to ensure that each member of the family has their own space that they can retreat to when they need privacy or some time alone. It may not be easy depending on how many people are living in the home and how it’s arranged, but if you work together, you can likely come up with a solution that allows everyone to have their own personal space.
“Open communication is key. Setting clear expectations around chores, caregiving, finances and personal space can prevent unnecessary tension,” Klein notes.
Consider ways to involve everyone in activities together, such as family dinners, which can “create shared moments of joy while respecting that each generation needs time apart,” Klein says.
Maintaining Independence, Safely
Aging in place can be the best option for many people. By making changes to ensure safety and comfort in the home, you may be able to extend your time at home indefinitely.
“Maintaining independence is probably the number one reason most seniors would choose to age in place, if possible,” Eisenberg says. “It is very difficult to give up the last bits of their sense of control, which gives them a higher quality of life and overall well-being. Change is always difficult, and moving is always stressful.”
Remaining at home longer can also help seniors keep critical social ties to their community, friends and loved ones and the memories and emotional attachment they have to their home.
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How to Set Up Your Home for Aging in Place originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 10/07/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
