If your aging parent has made one thing clear, it may be this: “I don’t want to leave my home.”
For adult children, that can create a difficult situation. You want to respect your parent's wishes and help them maintain their independence, but you may also be noticing that getting around the house is becoming harder. Stairs may be challenging. Getting in and out of the home may no longer feel safe. A walker or wheelchair may make certain areas difficult to access.
The good news is that moving into an assisted living or long-term care facility is not always the only option.
Depending on your parent's health, mobility and support needs, aging in place may allow them to remain in the home they know while making changes that improve safety and accessibility.
What Does Aging in Place Mean?
Aging in place means remaining in your own home as you get older rather than moving to a residential care setting. For many families researching aging in place for seniors, the goal is to find the right combination of home modifications, mobility solutions and support services that make staying at home safer and more practical.
For many older adults, staying home provides a sense of independence, familiarity and comfort. The National Institute on Aging notes that many older adults want to remain in their homes as they age, but doing so often requires planning for changes in mobility, safety and everyday activities.
Aging in place does not necessarily mean your parent has to do everything independently. A successful plan can combine home accessibility modifications, family support, in-home care, transportation assistance and other aging in place services based on their individual needs.
Aging in Place Checklist: Start With the Areas Making the Home Difficult
Before assuming your parent can no longer live at home, start with a simple aging in place checklist and take a closer look at why living independently has become more difficult.
Is the problem the entire house, or are a few specific obstacles making the house difficult to navigate?
Common problems include:
- Difficulty climbing stairs
- Trouble getting up porch or entry steps
- Increased use of a walker or wheelchair
- Difficulty getting in and out of the bathroom
- Poor balance
- Narrow or difficult entryways
- Fear of falling
- Trouble moving between different levels of the home
Some of these challenges can potentially be addressed through aging in place home modifications without requiring your parent to leave their home.
1. Make the Stairs Safer With Aging in Place Home Modifications
Stairs can become one of the biggest obstacles to aging in place, particularly when a bedroom, bathroom or other frequently used space is located on another floor.
If your parent can no longer safely climb the stairs, a stairlift may allow them to continue accessing multiple levels of the home without repeatedly navigating the staircase on foot.
Stairlifts are available for different types of staircases, including:
Straight stairlifts for staircases that travel in a straight line.
Curved stairlifts for staircases with turns, curves or intermediate landings.
Heavy-duty stairlifts for users who need a higher weight capacity or additional seating space.
Outdoor stairlifts for exterior stairs, porches and other outdoor applications.
Installing a stairlift can be an important part of an aging in place remodel, and it may be a much smaller change than relocating to a one-level home or moving into a facility. It can allow your parent to continue using more of the home they already love.
2. Address Steps at the Entrance of the Home
Getting safely through the front door can be just as important as navigating the inside of the house.
If your parent uses a wheelchair, scooter or walker, exterior steps can make entering and leaving the home difficult.
Depending on the property and your parent's mobility needs, solutions may include:
- Modular wheelchair ramps
- Portable ramps
- Threshold ramps
- Handrails
- Other accessible entry solutions
The National Institute on Aging specifically identifies ramps with handrails as one modification that can make a home safer and easier for an older adult to navigate.
An accessible entrance can help your parent continue getting to medical appointments, visiting family, running errands and participating in everyday activities outside the home.
3. Look for Fall Hazards Throughout the House
Accessibility equipment is only one part of creating a safer home.
Walk through the house room by room and look at it from your parent's perspective. A rug that never bothered them before may now be a tripping hazard. A dark hallway may be difficult to navigate. A bathroom without anything sturdy to hold onto may become dangerous.
The CDC recommends several home changes to help reduce fall risk among older adults, including removing trip hazards, improving lighting, adding bathroom grab bars and installing railings on both sides of stairways.
Consider checking for:
- Loose rugs and carpeting
- Cluttered walking paths
- Poor lighting
- Loose or missing handrails
- Slippery bathroom surfaces
- Difficult transitions between rooms
- Furniture blocking walking paths
- Frequently used items stored too high or too low
Sometimes a series of relatively small modifications can make a significant difference in how comfortably someone moves around their home.
4. Consider Aging in Place Bathroom Modifications
Bathrooms can be particularly challenging for someone experiencing changes in strength, balance or mobility. That's why aging in place bathroom design often focuses on making everyday movements safer and reducing fall hazards.
Depending on your parent's needs, aging in place bathroom ideas may include grab bars, nonslip surfaces, shower seating, accessible bathing solutions or raised toilet seating.
The goal should be to reduce unnecessary movements that require your parent to step over obstacles, reach for unstable surfaces or navigate slippery areas without support.
5. Consider Other Aging in Place Services and Resources
Aging in place is not simply about installing a ramp or stairlift. Families looking for resources for aging in place should consider both the physical home and the day-to-day support their parent may need.
Ask what your parent needs to safely manage everyday life.
That could include:
- In-home personal care
- Meal preparation
- Housekeeping
- Transportation
- Medication assistance
- Physical or occupational therapy
- Grocery delivery
- Family or caregiver visits
- Emergency alert systems
Your parent's needs may also change over time. A home that works well today may need additional modifications later.
Creating a plan now can make it easier to adapt as those needs change.
Talk to Your Parent Instead of Making the Decision for Them
When you're worried about someone's safety, it's easy for the conversation to become, “You can't live here anymore.”
Instead, try starting with a different question:
“What would make it easier for you to stay here safely?”
Your parent may already know which parts of the house are becoming difficult. They may be afraid to mention it because they worry admitting they need help will lead to losing their independence.
Approaching the conversation around helping them remain at home can completely change the discussion.
A stairlift, ramp or other home accessibility modification isn't necessarily taking independence away. In many situations, it can help preserve it.
When Is Aging in Place No Longer the Right Option?
Home modifications can solve many accessibility problems, but they cannot address every medical or caregiving need.
There may come a point when living at home is no longer safe, even with modifications and additional support. The National Institute on Aging recommends reevaluating the decision as a person's needs change.
If you're unsure whether your parent can safely remain at home, talk with their healthcare providers and consider an in-home safety or mobility assessment.
The goal isn't simply to keep someone home at all costs. It's to find the environment that provides the right combination of safety, mobility, independence and quality of life.
Before You Consider a Move, Find Out Whether the Home Can Be Adapted
If your parent doesn't want to move into assisted living or a long-term care facility, you don't necessarily have to make that decision immediately.
First, determine what is preventing them from safely navigating their current home.
If stairs, steps, wheelchair access or other mobility barriers are the primary concern, there may be accessibility solutions that allow your parent to remain at home longer.
Freedom Mobility Solutions helps families throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia who are researching aging in place services near them find mobility and accessibility solutions designed around their homes and individual needs.
From straight, curved and heavy-duty stairlifts to wheelchair ramps and other accessibility equipment, our team can help you determine which options may make your parent's home safer and easier to navigate.
Contact Freedom Mobility Solutions today to discuss your parent's home accessibility needs and explore solutions that can help them age in place safely and comfortably.