Best Fall Home Upgrades for Aging in Place
In this blog:
- Most homes aren’t aging-ready. Only 40 percent of U.S. homes have both a step-free entry and a first-floor bedroom or bathroom.
- Fall can expose trouble spots around the home. Shorter days, wet leaves and colder weather can make stairs, entryways and poorly lit paths more challenging.
- Making upgrades now can prepare you for winter. Solutions like walk-in tubs, showers, stairlifts, handrails and better lighting can make everyday routines safer and easier.
As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, fall marks an ideal time for seniors to ensure their homes work for them as they age. Discover five common home accessibility concerns and the best upgrades to make for aging in place before winter weather takes hold.
What Makes a Home “Aging-Ready”?
In its most recent report, the U.S. Census defines an aging-ready home as one with a step-free entryway and a first-floor bedroom or bathroom. Of the 124.1 million homes in the U.S., only 40 percent are aging-ready. With the senior population projected to balloon to 82 million people by 2050, many older adults may need to go even beyond these basics with additional upgrades to remain at home safely.
Here are five common challenges older homeowners may face, and upgrades that can provide peace of mind.
| Concern | Why Address It This Fall | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| “I worry about falling in the bathroom.” | More time indoors means bathroom safety matters every day. | Walk-in tub or shower |
| “The stairs are getting harder for me.” | Don’t wait until winter makes leaving home or changing routines more difficult. | Stairlift |
| “I have trouble seeing when I get out of bed at night.” | Earlier sunsets and longer nights make good lighting especially important. | Motion-sensor nightlights |
| “It’s getting harder carrying laundry up and down the basement stairs.” | Bulky loads can make it challenging to keep a hand on the railing. | Cargo lift |
| “Getting in and out of the house isn’t as easy as it used to be.” | Wet leaves, frost, ice and snow can make steps and walkways more hazardous. | Handrail or outdoor stairlift |
Why Fall Is the Right Time to Do This Work
Fall brings changes that make the need for upgrades more noticeable. Daylight hours grow shorter and wet leaves make walkways slippery. Colder weather also means spending more time indoors, where hazards become more noticeable.
Tackling home accessibility projects before winter weather sets in helps prepare for a season when the risk of falls increases. Ice and salt make outdoor surfaces more dangerous, while shorter daylight hours can make potential hazards harder to see. An uneven front step or missing handrail can become an even greater concern.
Making these changes during the fall can help you stay safe through winter and beyond. Having modifications completed before the busy holiday season can also ease stress.
Make Bathroom Safety a Priority
As colder weather brings more time indoors, fall is a good time to address one of the home’s most important safety areas: the bathroom. At least 80 percent of falls at home occur in the bathroom, and stepping over a high tub wall can be challenging for seniors, particularly those with arthritis or limited mobility.
Installing grab bars near the toilet, adding slip-resistant bath mats and removing clutter help improve bathroom safety. But a low-threshold bathing solution takes it to the next level.
A walk-in tub or shower eliminates the need to step over a high tub wall and can make bathing easier for years to come. These solutions can also include built-in grab bars, seating options and convenient features like a handheld shower wand.
Safe Step has nearly two decades of experience helping seniors and people with mobility limitations. Our three bathing products are designed to match your household’s unique needs.
| Option | Who It Fits |
|---|---|
| Walk-in tub | A home with a person who prefers to soak and sit while bathing. |
| Walk-in shower | A home with a person who prefers to shower or use a shower chair. |
| Tub-shower combo | A whole-home solution giving people the option to soak or shower. |
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Make Every Floor Easier To Access
When stairs start to become challenging, many seniors avoid the climb. If a downstairs bedroom isn’t an option, some may even turn to a recliner for rest.
A stairlift can make sense when climbing stairs becomes difficult, tiring or uncomfortable, but you still want access to every level of your home. It can be especially helpful when moving a bedroom or other frequently used space to the first floor isn’t practical.
By providing a seated ride between floors, a stairlift helps make everyday routines safer and easier. Because many types of stairlifts attach directly to the stairs, they can often be installed without major home renovations.
Safe Step Stairlifts feature a foldable, space-saving seat and wireless remotes for easy operation. In addition to indoor and outdoor stairlifts, we have a cargo stairlift that makes hauling bulky items simple.
What To Tackle Before Winter
Making changes throughout your home can feel overwhelming, even when you know the concerns you want to address. Use the fall to prioritize the improvements that could make the biggest difference this winter.
While professionals can handle many of these improvements, having a plan gives you a place to start.
| Upgrade | Lead Time and Who Does It |
|---|---|
| Walk-in tub or walk-in shower | Book a no-obligation consultation with a design specialist to find the best solution for your home’s needs. Ask about current installation timelines during your assessment. |
| Stairlift | An in-home assessment can help you find the best stairlift for your home. |
| Handrail and level front entry | Ask a handyman or family member for help. Aim to complete the project before the first freeze. |
| Motion-sensor nightlights, bed to bath | A simple DIY project that can typically be completed in a weekend. |
Explore More Resources
Download our helpful aging-in-place checklist and learn more about living independently at the aging-in-place hub.
Why Homeowners Choose Safe Step
Homeowners turn to Safe Step for solutions designed to make daily life at home more comfortable and accessible. When you book a no-obligation, hassle-free quote, a design specialist will come to your home, take measurements and recommend a bathing solution, stairlift or both, based on your needs.
The Safe Step Walk-In Tub is the only walk-in tub to receive the Ease of Use Certification from the Arthritis Foundation, which recognizes products proven to make life easier for people with arthritis and other physical limitations. In addition to professional installation in as little as one day, we offer a lifetime limited warranty for as long as you live in your home.
Request a free consultation to explore your home safety options.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most important home modifications for seniors help reduce fall risks and make daily activities easier, such as bathroom safety upgrades, stairlifts, better lighting and secure handrails.
Start with the room where you have already changed your behavior. In many cases, this is the bathroom. Use our aging-in-place checklist to help you get started.
Yes. Winter conditions, such as ice and snow, can increase fall risk. Having modifications completed before the busy holiday season can also ease stress.
