A significant percentage of elderly adults are choosing to “age in place,” which means they prefer to remain in their own homes rather than relocate to an assisted living facility or into a senior living community. This decision is understandable—even admirable—and there are home adaptations for the elderly that can make it safer.
While executing these adaptations will require investments of both time and money, they will also extend an elderly person’s ability to live independently for much longer. For example, falling is a serious risk; data suggests that as many as five thousand people die annually due to complications from falling.
Data also indicates that our elders who are able to remain in their own homes, especially when they are cared for as needed, experience 75% fewer falls than their peers who move into residential facilities. While this may be a correlation rather than a causation (considering that adults who are more frail are more likely to move into residential facilities,) the possible connection is intriguing.
Ultimately, a combination of home modifications, companion care, and continued contact with friends and family seems to be the safest model for a typical elderly person. Today, we’re sharing our suggestions for helpful home adaptations for the elderly.
Clear Walkways are Key
Depending on their variable health, elderly adults often use mobility aids such as canes, walkers, and wheelchairs. Ensure that all walkways are clear by removing clutter, widening pathways between furniture, and removing rugs that can create tripping hazards.
You should also know that the aging mind (and eyes) can begin to perceive rugs, complex tile patterns, or harsh changes between patterns as gaps or deep holes. The fear and fall risk of such transitions are significant and should be reduced or eliminated if an aging person is diagnosed with dementia. If there is a strong family history of dementia, especially of close relatives, it may be wise to approach this proactively and create smooth walkways throughout the home immediately.
Safe Bathrooms
Bathrooms are infamous for being one of the most dangerous rooms within a home, irrespective of our age, but this risk does climb as our mobility declines. Fortunately, there are plenty of products that have been developed to boost both the accessibility and the safety of home bathrooms.
Depending on one’s level of mobility, it may be advisable to remove a bathtub with high walls and replace it with a walk-in shower with a low edge. If your tub has a shower curtain, we recommend replacing it with sliding or swinging shower doors.
While glass shower doors can make people uneasy when imagining a fall, tempered glass doors (which break into tiny pieces rather than large, dangerous shards) are safer than shower curtains. Unfortunately, when someone instinctively reaches out for a sturdy wall when falling and grasps a shower curtain instead, the result will be a heavy fall.
Within the shower, mobility bars, non-slip mats, sturdy toiletry caddies, and shower chairs are all excellent ways to boost safety. Outside the shower, a non-slip microfiber bathmat and awaiting rubber-bottomed slippers can help an elderly person move around the bathroom safely after their shower.
An accessible toilet can also be a great life improvement for a homeowner who has mobility challenges, and there are several options for flush mechanisms that are easier for those with arthritis and other grip issues.
It is especially important to ensure the water heater's thermostat is set low enough that when the faucets within the house are set to 100% hot, they still aren’t hot enough to cause scalding. The recommended safe temperature setting is 120 degrees, but many homeowners keep their water heaters set to 140 degrees. Please be cautious; anything lower than 120 degrees will allow harmful organisms and bacteria to thrive within the water heater. The risk of harm from these dangers is greatest in our elderly and young children, so it is essential to guard against both burns and illnesses by sticking to 120 degrees.
Kitchen Safety Measures
The kitchen is another top danger zone, but developments in gadget technology are here to save the day. First, though, homeowners who can afford to do so may benefit from a kitchen overhaul that appropriately adjusts counter, oven, and microwave heights specific to the needs of the older resident. Larger cupboard knobs positioned at the top of low cabinets and the bottom of high cabinets will also be helpful.
Switching from a stove-top kettle to a Japanese electrically heated water dispenser is useful for tea drinkers, while cooking utensils with large, rubberized grips will make cooking easier for all.
Bedroom Solutions
If a formerly perfect bed height now presents a mobility obstacle, you don’t have to invest in costly electric bed mover systems. Instead, you can install risers to make the mattress taller. Choose a bedside table that fits the new bed setup; leaning down from a bed to reach a lower table is unsafe, especially for seniors who may be confused in dark in the middle of the night.
Keep in mind that a smart lighting system connected to an AI home assistant may be the best way to turn on the lights when it’s time to hit the bathroom at 2 a.m. Simply ask for the lights to be turned on in a specific room, and it will happen instantly.
While it can take time for a senior citizen to adapt to a home assistant, the effort is well worth it from a safety standpoint. Whether one wishes to turn on a light, check messages, or call for help in case of a fall, the home assistant is always there.
The Takeaway
Rather than giving up one’s home and moving to an assisted living facility, consider whether strategic modifications and regular check-ins could make aging in place the best path to safety, comfort, and peace in the twilight years of your or a loved one’s life.
If you need assistance looking for a safer home for an aging adult, please contact your trusted agent. We are dedicated to helping our Middle Tennessee neighbors remain happy at home for many years to come!
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