Aging in place and home safety

What aging in place really involves

Aging in place means your loved one keeps living in their own home as they get older, with the help and changes they need along the way. The National Institute on Aging suggests thinking about what kind of help your loved one may need now and later, from household chores and transportation to personal care and home changes.

It works best when the family treats it as an ongoing plan rather than a one-time fix. Needs shift after an illness, a hospital stay, or a fall, so the plan should be reviewed whenever things change.

Start with falls

CDC's STEADI program and the National Institute on Aging both focus on simple, low-cost changes: clear walkways, good lighting, grab bars in the bathroom, rails on both sides of stairs, and removing or securing loose rugs. These are often the first items on a family's list because they are concrete and quick to do.

Falls are not only about the house. CDC encourages older adults to talk with their doctor about fall risk, to have medications reviewed for side effects such as dizziness, to get vision checked, and to do strength and balance exercise. Your role is to help your loved one raise these topics, not to decide the answers.

Room by room

Walk through the home with your loved one and look at each space the way they use it. Entry and steps, stairs and halls, the living area, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom each have their own common hazards. Lighting at night, the path from bed to bathroom, and reaching for everyday items are worth special attention.

Alarms and emergency plans

The U.S. Fire Administration recommends working smoke alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas, tested monthly, with alarm types for people with hearing loss available. Add carbon monoxide alarms if the home has fuel-burning appliances or an attached garage. Keep a one-page emergency sheet by the phone with contacts, doctors, medications, and allergies.

Help that is available

Your loved one's local Area Agency on Aging can point you to in-home services, meal programs, transportation, and home modification help. You can find yours through the Eldercare Locator online or by calling 1-800-677-1116.

Easy-to-miss safety details

• Home modification scams are common. Confirm a contractor's license with your state or county, ask for proof of insurance, get a written contract with no blank spaces, never let a contractor arrange the loan, and do not pay in full up front. See the FTC on home improvement scams.
• If there are firearms in the home, talk as a family about locked, unloaded storage or keeping them elsewhere, especially if memory or mood is changing.
• Keep extra or old medications in a lockable box, and use a pharmacy or community take-back program for ones no longer used.
• Keep heat on in cold weather so pipes do not freeze, and know where the water shutoff is.

What to do first

1. Walk through the home together and note hazards using our Home Safety Checklist.
2. Fix the urgent items first: loose rails, missing smoke alarms, tripping hazards on main paths.
3. Add lighting on the path from bed to bathroom and at the top and bottom of stairs.
4. Install grab bars by the toilet and in the tub or shower. Towel bars are not built to hold a person.
5. Ask your loved one to bring up fall risk and a medication review at their next doctor visit.
6. Write a one-page emergency sheet and keep copies by the phone and with each sibling.
7. Contact the local Area Agency on Aging through the Eldercare Locator about services in your loved one's area.

Common questions

How do we know if aging in place is still realistic?

Look at whether your loved one can manage daily tasks safely with the help available, and whether the home can be adapted. The National Institute on Aging suggests considering health, daily activities, home safety, and support from others. A doctor or occupational therapist can help you judge this.

Who can do a professional home safety assessment?

An occupational therapist can evaluate how your loved one gets around the home and recommend changes. Ask your loved one's doctor whether an evaluation can be ordered. For larger changes, look for a contractor with aging-in-place experience.

Does Medicare pay for grab bars or home changes?

Coverage depends on the item and the plan. Check directly with Medicare or their plan before buying, and ask the local Area Agency on Aging about programs that help with home modifications.

What if my loved one does not want changes?

Start with the changes they care about, explain the reason, and let them lead. Small, practical steps such as better lighting are often easier to accept than large projects.

When to bring in a licensed professional

Kinhaven handles the organizing. These decisions call for someone licensed:

• A doctor or pharmacist for fall risk, medication reviews, vision, and balance concerns.
• An occupational therapist for a home safety evaluation, especially after a fall, hospital stay, or change in memory.
• A licensed contractor for structural work, ramps, bathroom changes, and electrical work.
• An elder law attorney if you need powers of attorney or other legal documents in place.

Sources and further reading

• CDC STEADI: Older Adult Fall Prevention
• CDC STEADI: Check for Safety brochure (PDF)
• CDC: Preventing falls
• National Institute on Aging: Preventing falls at home, room by room
• National Institute on Aging: Aging in place
• U.S. Fire Administration: Smoke alarms
• Eldercare Locator, a public service of the U.S. Administration for Community Living (1-800-677-1116)

Links go to public government resources. Kinhaven is not affiliated with these agencies.