How to make a home safer and more accessible as you age

Dear Savvy Senior,

What simple tips can you recommend for making a home age friendly? My husband and I are in our late-60s and want to remain living in our home for as long as possible.

Homebody Hanna

Dear Hanna,

Many older adults, like you and your husband, want to stay living in their own home for as long as possible. But being able to do so will depend on how easy it is to maneuver your living space as you get older.

There are literally dozens of simple adjustments and modifications you can do to help make your home safer and more accessible for aging-in-place. Here’s a summary of tips from the National Institute on Aging and AARP, which offers a free room-by-room guide with practical suggestions for older adults living independently.

Entrance way

—Have at least one exterior doorway with step-free access. If not possible, consider a ramp.

—Add a bench in the foyer to sit on when removing shoes or to set down items while locking or unlocking the door.

Bathroom

—Install a walk-in shower with a bench and nonskid decals or mats to prevent falls.

—Add a hand-held nozzle to the shower head to facilitate rinsing off while seated.

—Install grab bars on the shower wall and near the toilet.

—Put in a taller toilet or add a toilet riser.

—Consider plugging in a nightlight.

Bedroom

—If stairs are too difficult to manage, create a bedroom on the main level by transforming a den or an office.

—Make sure the bed is easy to get in and out of. Purchase bed risers if needed.

—Invest in an adjustable bed for extra comfort.

Kitchen

—Purchase a stove with safety features that alert the resident when a burner is on or have automatic shutoffs.

—Relocate major appliances to make them easier to reach.

—Add slide-out drawers or trays to existing cabinets for better access.

—Install a lever-style, light-touch or sensor faucet, which is easier to use than a faucet with turn-style knobs or handles.

Furniture and rugs

—Get rid of furniture and clutter to make rooms easier to move around in.

—Use chairs with armrests, which make sitting and standing easier.

—Avoid furniture with sharp corners, which can cause bruises and cuts when bumped against.

—Hide cords out of pathways but don’t put them under rugs.

—Area rugs, if used, should be secured to the floor with a nonslip mat or anti-slip rug tape.

For more tips get a copy of AARP’s “HomeFit Guide,” which is a 36-page, fully illustrated guide and has more than 100 aging-in-place tips and suggestions that can be made to an existing house or apartment or incorporated into designs for a new residence.

It explains how a smartly designed or modified home can meet the varied and changing needs of its older residents. It also features easy-to-do, low-cost and no-cost fixes that lessen the risk of trip hazards and increase the safety of high-use areas like the bathroom, kitchen and stairway.

In addition, AARP also offer videos and a HomeFit AR app (available for iPhone and iPad) that can scan a room and suggest improvements to help turn your house into a lifelong home, free from safety and mobility risks.

Visit www.AARP.org/HomeFit to order or download a free copy of this guide or to watch their videos. You don’t need to be an AARP member to access this content.

If you’d like more hands-on help, you also could hire an occupational or physical therapist who works with older adults. He or she can come in, evaluate your home and recommend aging-in-place solutions. And if you get a referral from your doctor, Medicare will usually cover a home walk-through.

Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.