Making the right home adaptations for elderly relatives plays a crucial role in maintaining their independence and comfort at home. The good news is that advancements in technology and a heightened awareness of accessibility needs are making aging-at-home modifications increasingly effective.
Making home adaptations is often surprisingly cost-effective and will make life for older adults safer, more convenient, and higher quality. Even simple additions like grab bars or non-slip carpets can make a huge difference to the safety of your home environment and allow seniors greater freedom to move around their homes with confidence.
Home Adaptations to Prevent Falls
Preventing falls at home is a number one consideration for elderly individuals and their families when making home adaptations. Around 1.5 million older adults are treated in emergency departments for injuries caused by falls each year. 1,800 of these falls are fatal. This makes taking preventative steps to protect yourself and your loved ones crucial to maintaining a mobile and independent home life.
Stair Lifts
Stair lifts are invaluable tools for elderly people who want to stay mobile and independent in their own homes for as long as possible. A stair lift allows users to reach the upper floors of their home without climbing the stairs, making moving around the home much safer.
Stair lifts are highly customizable and are installed to fit your staircase snugly. Professionals in stair lift installation like Mobility Plus Colorado recommend the best models for your space and expertly install new stair lifts for the safety and comfort of the user. After your stair lift is installed, they can handle service and repairs in the years to come, too.
Handrails
Handrails are ideal for providing extra support when navigating stairs or walking from one room to the next. They’re a cost-effective way for seniors with poor balance or who have lost confidence in their ability to move without falling. Handrails work perfectly in stairwells as well as in hallways, along kitchen counters, or next to each doorway.
Ramps
Installing a ramp to get in and out of your home safely is a much safer alternative to navigating steep and sometimes slippery steps. Ramps are also a great option if you or your loved one makes the transition into a wheelchair.
Safe Flooring
Flooring is one of the most important parts of your home to keep safe and accessible. Many older homes have cracked tiles, uneven floor surfaces, curled-up carpet edges, or other hazards that increase the risk of dangerous falls.
Installing low-impact flooring like rubber or cork surfaces are safe options as they’re soft and slip-proof. If you don’t want to remove your carpets for any reason, install a non-skid backing to keep them as safe as possible. Safe flooring is particularly important in the kitchen, bathroom, and any other areas where falling could be especially dangerous.
Bathroom Modifications
Bathroom modifications are a priority for many families as the bathroom is potentially a dangerous place for elderly people. The combination of slick, wet floors, small spaces, and hard surfaces poses a risk for people unsure on their feet or who lack strength or balance. Making the right modifications will keep your bathroom as safe as possible and allow your aging relative to use the room with privacy and dignity.
Walk-In Shower
Walk-in showers significantly enhance safety for elderly individuals by eliminating the need to step over a high bathtub wall. Most walk-in showers offer built-in seating to allow comfortable and safe washing while inside the shower.
Features like grab rails also provide essential support. This design promotes independence and confidence in the bathroom, allowing seniors to maintain personal hygiene without fear of injury.
Many walk-in showers can also be customized to meet specific needs. Consider incorporating features like adjustable shower heads, non-slip flooring, and temperature-controlled water systems for assurance your loved one can continue to use the bathroom safely and independently.
Installing Grab Bars
Grab bars are an inexpensive yet invaluable tool for navigating your bathroom safely. Placing a number of grab bars strategically around your bathroom—for example, next to the toilet, next to the sink, and at the entry to the shower—helps elderly people stand and sit more easily and offers them a robust tool to grab hold of if they lose balance.
Aging-in-Place Technology to Make Your Home Safer
Combining simple home modification with technology makes aging in place even easier for seniors. Technologies facilitating independent living for older people include:
- Smart home technology: Smart technology enables older people to control locks, lights, security cameras, and appliances remotely. This is a great advantage for individuals with poor balance as it takes away the need to get up and down so frequently.
- Updated thermostat: Smart thermostats also make it possible to adjust the temperature without leaving the chair or bed. This is especially useful at night when seniors should avoid walking around their homes. Smart thermostats are also programmable, an advantage that may help seniors avoid the many health issues caused by extreme temperatures.
- Specialized smoke alarms: Some fire alarm models offer features like announcing the location of a fire to help seniors avoid smoke and flames as they leave their homes.
- Medical alert systems: Medical alert systems allow senior citizens to get swift medical assistance in a medical emergency. Users only need to push a button (usually hanging like a necklace) to alert a local emergency response center and get the help they need.
How to Lower the Costs of Home Modifications
Many highly effective home modifications are simple items that don’t break the bank, making them more affordable options than assisted living facilities or other types of residential care. Despite this, some elderly people may find it challenging to cover the full cost of necessary home modifications alone.
Look into the following options that could reduce the costs involved with making aging-in-place adaptations:
- Renting equipment: Renting equipment like a stair lift may be more cost-effective than purchasing one for people who anticipate using the modifications for a limited period of time.
- Medicare: Some Medicare Advantage plans come with provisions to cover aging-at-home modifications like walk-in showers or medical alert systems. It’s certainly worth investigating if insurance could cover part of the cost of the necessary home adaptations.
- Government programs: The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers grants to help very low-income rural homeowners make necessary home adaptations. Many states also offer programs like Medicaid waivers to help senior citizens make their homes safe.
- Tax incentives: Elderly citizens may be able to deduct home modification expenses on their state and/or federal tax returns.
Top Tips for Avoiding Falls at Home
Making the right home modifications is a crucial part of avoiding injuries at home. However, changing the way one uses one’s home is also key to staying safe and mobile. These simple tips contribute to making the home safer and reducing the chances of suffering a fall:
- Keep stairs well-lit and free from clutter.
- When using stairs, always grip the handrails. The person should take a break if they need to when going up or down stairs.
- Keep floors cleared and slip-resistant: Avoiding clutter around the home is important as anything obstacles can lead to a fall. Keep the floors as clear as possible, especially the spaces the elderly person walks through frequently.
- Remove loose carpets, power cords, and any other items that could pose a tripping hazard, and ensure the rugs and mats are non-skid.
- Ensure adequate lighting: Take advantage of natural light where possible by opening curtains and removing clutter from around the windows. Motion sensor lights are also a great idea to light the way to the bathroom at night.
Ensure Safety With Aging-in-Place Home Adaptations
The concept of aging in place is being redefined by innovative home adaptations that prioritize safety, comfort, and independence for the elderly. These advances are empowering seniors to maintain their quality of life within familiar surroundings.
Embracing the right home modifications enables families to create homes that not only accommodate the physical changes associated with aging but also foster a sense of dignity and autonomy. As the population continues to age, these evolving home adaptations will play a crucial role in shaping a future where seniors can thrive in the comfort and security of their own homes.
