If you’re an elderly homeowner who wishes to age in place, it’s important to make safety modifications to your home environment. These subtle changes can reduce falls and preserve your quality of life. Discover the top home safety upgrades for seniors to consider!
Home Safety Upgrades Help You Age In Place
It’s easy to put off making changes around the house, especially when the space is so familiar that you tend to navigate it intuitively. With age, however, that confidence of movement around the house becomes a significant risk. Every 11 seconds, a senior is treated in the emergency room for a fall, and over half of those falls take place at home. 1
For those reasons, it’s imperative to be proactive about adding home safety upgrades around the home. The following recommendations range from minor, affordable modifications to costly home renovations, but don’t let price guide your choices. After all, the price of a senior living facility — which is where many injured seniors reside following a fall at home — can be far costlier than these home upgrades.
Handrails and Grab Bars
Handrails and grab bars are typically the first upgrade many seniors consider, and for all the right reasons! Positioning handrails along staircases and hallways can catch you in the midst of a fall. Likewise, well-positioned grab bars in the bathroom and shower area can help the elderly maintain their independence for longer.
The low cost and easy assembly makes handrails and grab bars a no-brainer when it comes to protecting your well-being. Many of these models can even be affixed via suction-cup, thereby eliminating the need to drill into your walls.
Walk-In Tubs
Reinforcing the need for grab bars around the shower, statistics indicate that the bathroom is the most dangerous area of the home. Falls in the bathroom are most likely to result in serious injury. 2 That’s why walk-in tubs are becoming so popular amongst seniors; they reduce the risk of falls while providing a more enjoyable bathroom experience.
While walk-in tubs provide an accessible and permanent upgrade, they can be pricey. If a bathroom renovation isn’t within your budget, there are affordable alternatives. For example, shower chairs can help you avoid slipping in the tub, and raised toilet seats can ‘meet you halfway’ if you lack lower body strength.
Stairlifts
The staircase is another area of the home that becomes increasingly dangerous with age. Handrails are essential in this area of the house, but if you’re having a tougher time climbing or descending stairs, a stairlift may be the ideal investment.
Modern stairlifts can accommodate straight or curved staircases. Among their many benefits, they allow seniors to age in place for much longer. If you use a wheelchair, senior ramps can also provide renewed independence.
Better Lighting
We’ve covered a few home upgrades that require significant money and construction, so let’s pivot back to an affordable and easy modification: better lighting! Every house has poorly-lit areas, whether they’re window-less corridors or dark corners. By investing in the right illumination, you can avoid blind-spots that result in accidents.
The question is, which type of lighting is right for your home? Floor lighting can provide a subtle guide, while recess lighting creates a warm ambiance that is designed for senior eyes. 3 There are also motion-sensor lights that only turn on when you need them.
Non-Slip Flooring
Another helpful and healthy home upgrade for seniors is non-slip flooring. Statistics don’t bother to differentiate between slips and falls because the outcomes are usually the same: bruises, broken bones, and sometimes head injuries. With non-slip flooring, you can further reduce that risk.
So replace your unpredictable area rugs with rubber or cork flooring, which comes in beautiful styles that look identical to stone or wood. 4 These options are even slip-proof when wet, making them ideal for the kitchen and bathroom.
Is Your Home Smart Enough?
Recent advances in technology have transformed the household, with many perks benefiting seniors the most! Smart lighting can illuminate dark areas of the home precisely when you’re passing through. Meanwhile, smart plugs ensure that appliances and devices are turned off at the right times, allowing seniors to monitor them from a phone app.
Smart home devices can also prove instrumental in reacting to accidents. Voice-activated assistants (popularized by Amazon and Google) have hands-free technology, meaning you can instruct them to make phone calls if you’ve fallen. Likewise, smart doorbells allow seniors to see and communicate with people at their front door, which could be a lifesaver if you live alone and need help.
Finally, smart technology has inspired a new era for medical alert systems. These wearable devices can detect whether you’ve fallen and connect you to help within seconds. 5 These devices interact with an electronic base in your home to signal for help.
How Do Home Safety Upgrades Affect Your Home’s Value?
If you’re a senior who requires these upgrades, you’re probably wondering how they might affect your home’s resale value. According to Bankrate, if you base your renovations on universal design principles, which are architectural ideas that serve a large number of people, you can increase your home’s value. 6 Non-slip flooring and automated light shades fit into this category.
However, if you plan your upgrades in compliance with accessibility standards put forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), your resale value might decrease. It’s something to consider if you’re installing a walk-in tub, stairlift, or grab bars.
Prioritize Your Well-Being With Home Safety Upgrades
While it’s responsible to consider the financial ramifications of modifying your home, your well-being and safety are most important. Seniors who’ve already experienced a fall at home are almost 60 percent likely to have another fall within the year. 7
Don’t take that unnecessary risk, and don’t put off making your home safer. There are financial assistance options available, through Medicaid as well as state-run programs, that can help you afford these necessary renovations. By exploring many of these home safety upgrades, you can age in place with confidence and reduce your risk of injury.