Aging in Place: How to Make Your Home Safe for the Long Term

What does aging in place mean

Aging in place means staying in your own home safely and independently as you get older or as your mobility changes. For most homes, that usually means some changes. Doorways, stairs, bathrooms, and floors that work fine at 40 can become hard to manage at 75, or after a surgery, a fall, or a new diagnosis. 

The good news is that most homes can be adapted. This guide walks through the main areas of the house, what changes make the biggest difference, the work that happens behind the walls, and how to plan your own project. 

Where to start

Start with how you actually move through your home. Walk your daily route: the front door, the hallway, the bathroom, the kitchen, the bedroom. Notice where you hold onto something, step up or down, squeeze through, or reach. 

Those are the places to focus on first. Falls tend to happen at the same spots: entry steps, stairs, the bathroom, and anywhere the floor changes height. 

Entrances

Getting in and out of the house is the first challenge. Entry steps can be hard with a walker or a wheelchair. Common changes include:

• Adding sturdy handrails on both sides of entry steps 
• Building a ramp, or regrading the path to remove steps entirely 
• Lowering or removing raised thresholds at exterior doors 
• Adding lighting over steps and walkways 

Doorways and hallways

Many older homes have narrow interior doors, especially bathroom and bedroom doors. ADA guidelines call for at least 32 inches of clear width with the door open. A standard 32-inch door usually gives only 30 to 31 inches once hinges and stops are counted, so widening the opening, not just swapping the door, is often the fix. 

In a recent bathroom remodel for a returning customer, widening the doorway was the first step. It meant a walker or wheelchair could get through without scraping the frame, which made every other improvement in the room usable. 

Bathrooms

The bathroom is the most important room to get right. Wet floors, tight spaces, and stepping in and out of a tub or shower make it  one of the most common place for falls at home.

Zero-threshold shower

A zero-threshold shower, also called a curbless or roll-in shower, has no ledge at the entry. Stepping over a tub wall or shower curb is one of the most common ways people fall. Removing the curb also lets a shower chair or wheelchair roll straight in. The floor slopes gently toward the drain so water stays in the shower.

Grab bars

Grab bars give you something solid to hold when you sit, stand, or step. ADA guidelines place them 33 to 36 inches above the floor, and each bar must hold 250 pounds. That depends on what is behind the wall. A grab bar screwed into drywall alone will pull out. It needs solid blocking behind it.

Shower seat and handheld shower

A shower seat lets you bathe sitting down. ADA guidelines set seat height at 17 to 19 inches, close to wheelchair seat height, so transferring is easier. A handheld shower head on an adjustable bar makes bathing while seated much simpler.

In the bathroom project seen above, the full set of changes included a zero-threshold shower, grab bars, a teak shower seat, the widened doorway, and all new flooring. Teak is a common choice for shower seats because it naturally resists water.

Kitchens

The kitchen should work for someone standing or seated. Changes that help:

• Pull out shelves and drawers instead of deep lower cabinets 
• Lever or touchless faucets 
• Counters at varied heights, including a section someone can sit at 
• Wall ovens and microwaves at a reachable height instead of above the range 
• Good task lighting over counters and the stove 

Stairs

If you plan to stay in a multi-level home, stairs need attention.

• Handrails on both sides, running the full length of the stairs 
• Bright lighting with switches at the top and bottom 
• Contrasting edges on each step so they are easier to see 
• A stair lift, if climbing is no longer safe 

The work you don’t see: electrical, heating, and plumbing

Accessibility changes are rarely just new fixtures. When you widen a doorway, remove a shower curb, or change a layout, walls and floors open up. Whatever runs through them, like wiring, outlets, heating ducts, and plumbing, may need to move. 

In the bathroom project, both the electrical and the heating ducts had to be moved to make the new layout work. This is the part of the job you don’t see in after photos, and it is where an inexperienced contractor can run into trouble. It has to be done right before the walls and floors are closed up.

That is why the whole space should be assessed before you get a quote, not just the fixtures you want to change.

ADA guidelines and your home

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law for public and commercial buildings. It does not legally apply to private single-family homes. No homeowner is required to make their home ADA compliant. 

Many contractors and homeowners use ADA measurements anyway, because they are based on what people using walkers and wheelchairs actually need. Building to those numbers means the home works now and keeps working if needs change. 

Common ADA measurements:

• Door clear width: 32 inches minimum 
• Grab bar height: 33 to 36 inches above the floor 
• Grab bar strength: 250 pounds 
• Shower seat height: 17 to 19 inches 
• Toilet seat height: 17 to 19 inches 
• Sink rim height: 34 inches maximum 
• Wheelchair turning space: 60-inch circle

How to plan your project

1. Decide what matters most. Start with the areas where falls are most likely: entrances, stairs, and the bathroom. 
2. Plan for the future, not just today. Adding blocking for grab bars or widening a doorway is much easier during a remodel than after. 
3. Look at the whole space. A new shower may mean moving a heating duct. A wider door may mean moving an outlet. Assess what is behind the walls before any work.

You don’t have to do everything at once. Some homeowners do a full remodel. Others start with grab bars, handrails, and better lighting, then add more over time. 

Call (734) 222-0683 to schedule a free assessment, or contact us online at msgreenconstruction.com to get started today.

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Ms. Green Construction is a woman-owned contractor based in Ann Arbor, serving homeowners across Southeastern Michigan. We help homeowners make the changes that let them stay safe and independent in the home they love.

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Sources:

• U.S. Access Board, Guide to the ADA Standards, Chapter 6: Bathing Rooms. https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/chapter-6-bathing-rooms/ 
• AgeInPlaceGuide, ADA Bathroom Requirements. https://www.ageinplaceguide.com/ada-bathroom-requirements`