Aging in Place Home Modifications Checklist, Room by Room

Falls are the leading cause of injury death for adults 65 and older, the CDC reports. More than one in four older adults falls each year, and less than half tell their doctor. The CDC also says most falls happen at home. That part is hopeful. A home can be changed.

The National Institute on Aging suggests going through your home room by room. Fix the urgent dangers first, such as loose stair railings and poor lighting. Then work on the rest. You may not need every change on this list. Pick the ones that fit how you live, and look again every so often as your needs change.

Entry, stairs, and hallways

• Check the steps up to your door. They should not be broken or uneven.
• Think about a grab bar near the front door. The National Institute on Aging suggests one so you have something to hold while you open the door with your keys.
• Turn the porch light on at night, and before you leave if you will come home after dark.
• Swap round knobs for levers. A lever opens with a push of the hand or elbow, which helps when your hands are full or sore. See lever door handles.
• If a raised threshold catches a toe or a walker wheel, a small ramp can smooth it out. See interior threshold ramps.
• Put a handrail on both sides of every stair. The CDC and the National Institute on Aging both say so. Each rail should be secure and run as long as the stairs.
• Light the stairs from both ends. The CDC suggests a light and a switch at the top and at the bottom.
• Keep shoes, books, and papers off the steps.
• Fix loose or torn carpet on the steps, or take it up and add non-slip treads.
• Put a light switch at each end of a long hall, or add a light that turns on when you walk by.

A second rail is one of the most useful changes you can make. Most people have a stronger hand. With rails on both sides, that hand has something to hold going up and coming down.

Bathroom

• Mount grab bars near the toilet and on both the inside and outside of the tub or shower. This is the advice of the National Institute on Aging.
• Put a non-slip mat or self-stick strips on the floor of the tub or shower.
• Leave a light on at night, or use a night light that turns on by itself in the dark.
• If sitting down and getting up from the toilet is hard, a taller toilet can make it easier. See comfort height toilets.
• A handheld shower and a seat let you wash sitting down. See handheld shower and bench.
• If stepping over the tub wall is the hard part, a walk in shower conversion takes that step away.

Bedroom

• Put a lamp or light switch close to the bed, where you can reach it before you stand up.
• Light the path from the bed to the bathroom. Some night lights turn on by themselves after dark.
• Keep a flashlight by the bed in case the power goes out.
• Keep a charged phone or a landline near the bed.
• Move cords and furniture out of the path you walk at night.

Kitchen

• Move the things you use most to lower shelves, about waist high.
• If you must use a step stool, get a steady one with a bar to hold. Never stand on a chair.
• Wipe up spills right away.
• If standing a long time tires you, set up a spot to prepare food sitting down.

Lighting and floors in every room

• Take up throw rugs, or hold them down with double-sided tape or a non-slip backing.
• Coil or tape cords along the wall so they are out of the walking path.
• Arrange furniture so you have a clear path through each room.
• Add lights that come on when you walk in. The National Institute on Aging suggests plug-in motion lights for stairs and halls. A licensed electrician can also put in switches with a sensor. See motion sensor lighting.

Costs, and who can help

An occupational therapist can look at how you move through your own home and suggest changes. The National Institute on Aging notes that after a fall, a doctor may suggest a home visit from an occupational therapist, physical therapist, or nurse. Ask your doctor if a visit makes sense for you. Medicare Part B helps pay for outpatient occupational therapy when your doctor or another provider certifies you need it.

If cost is a worry, ask about local help. Many state and local governments have home modification programs for older adults, the National Institute on Aging says. In Illinois, call the Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966 to reach your local Area Agency on Aging. Anywhere in the country, the Eldercare Locator is at 800-677-1116.

Where to start this month

Pick the one or two changes that would help most right now. For many homes, that is rails and grab bars. Read what the work involves on the grab bars and stair rail on both sides pages. When you are ready, send a request and one vetted local pro will call you back. You never pay this site.