10 Home Tips to Make Aging at Home Easier

Are you entering your golden years, or perhaps taking care of aging parents, and realizing that certain parts of the house are a bit risky? Up until now, you haven’t paid much attention to the slick tile floors or stepping in and out of your bathtub. However, as you age, certain things start to stand out as potentially hazardous.

If you’re approaching your senior years, it’s time to consider making a few changes in your home to keep things safe. Likewise, if your parents or other relatives are facing a new chapter of life, use these tips to help make their houses more accommodating.

1. Get Rid of Slippery Floors

A lot of in-home accidents concerning senior citizens are due to falling. Replace slick floors with ones that have more grip and texture to limit slips.

Rubber floors are one of the top recommendations when it comes to non-slip flooring. Also, try to use the same flooring throughout the house to limit transitions, which also become trip hazards.

2. Add Grab Bars in Bathrooms

A grab bar in the tub or shower and one near the toilet can mean the difference between a nasty fall and being safe. You can do it yourself if you’re handy, but hire a professional handyman if you’re unsure. The last thing you want is for the bar to come out of the wall when you try to catch yourself during a fall.

3. Get ADA-Compliant Toilets

As you start to lose mobility and flexibility, it’s harder and harder to get down low to use the bathroom. If you have typical toilets, switch to ADA-compliant models that are taller, making it easier to sit or transfer from a wheelchair.

4. Consider a Walk-In Shower

If your home has no showers or only tub/shower combos, or a shower with a large curb, consider swapping at least one out with a curbless shower. A walk-in shower makes it so much easier to get in and out without increasing your risk of tripping.

5. Assess the Lighting

Having fantastic lighting is important at any age, and it’s also essential to have adequate lighting so you can see. When you get older, eyesight can start to diminish, making the need for task lighting even more important.

This is the time to add under-cabinet lights, desk lamps, and other light sources to improve your visibility. It’s also worth upping the wattage in other bulbs if you start to find certain rooms are too dark.

6. Set Up a Convenient Place to Meal Prep

Standing at a counter while chopping, dicing, and slicing can get tiring when you’re in your golden years. If you don’t want to spend 20 minutes on your feet during your meal prep, add a small table and chair for the task. Or use your kitchen table if you have an eat-in kitchen.

7. Install Handrails

Anywhere there are steps, you need handrails. End of story. If you have stairs in your home, you likely already have a railing, unless you jumped on the whole floating steps craze. However, you also need a sturdy handrail by the porch or a backyard deck (even if it’s only one or two steps).

8. Get Rid of Clutter

It’s time to get rid of anything you don’t need and minimize the clutter. Keep the floor clear to prevent tripping. Also, reducing clutter keeps your home from feeling overwhelming and allows you to place things in more accessible spots.

9. Ditch the Throw Rugs

Throw rugs are major trip hazards because they bunch up and skid across the floor. Your feet get caught up in them and down you go.

Instead, if you’re using rugs, opt for ones with non-skid backs or put carpet tape or rug pads beneath them. However, be aware that adding rugs makes the floor uneven, so they can still pose a trip risk when you move from the floor to the rug.

10. Make Doorways Wider

If you have it in the budget to widen the doorways, it’s worth it. Seniors often end up needing walkers to help them get around, others have wheelchairs.

These devices require a doorway at least 32 inches to get through and make them ADA-compliant. However, a minimum of 36 inches makes maneuvering much easier and more comfortable.

If you aren’t able to bump out the door frames, look for swing-clear hinges. These hinges allow you to swing the door open fully, giving you up to an additional two inches of wiggle room.

If you are considering downsizing first, take a look at our blog, Is Downsizing Right for You?

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