.png)
Aging in place can be unappealing to some seniors as the act of making your home aging in place friendly can be daunting, exhausting, and expensive. Those who are trying to age in place on a budget, may not have the funds to completely modify their home.
Even though there are big modifications you can make to your home, there are many small modifications you can make to your daily routine to make aging in place feasible. You can also follow a home safety checklist and regularly upgrade its requirements, which will go a long way in maintaining a safe environment at home and preventing falls and injury.
1. No-Slip Grips for Carpet
Adding No-Slip Grips to your carpet is one of the easiest home modifications you can do to drastically reduce the risk of falls in your home. Rug pads go under your rug, or just along the corner of your rug to add traction between the rug and the floor. They are great options for those who want to keep rugs in their home but are worried about the risk of falling.
2. Night Lights
Another super simple home modification is adding night lights to hallways, bathrooms, bedrooms, and your kitchen. Modern night lights have timers on them so they can be off during the day, and on during the night. If you have to get up in the middle of the night, having nightlights plugged in provides enough light to get out of bed safely without hazards.
3. Automatic Jar Opener
An automatic jar opener is a perfect tool you didn’t know you needed. As seniors age, random tasks like opening a jar can become painful and difficult to do, but it shouldn't stop you from using jarred foods! This product is great for those who suffer from arthritis or for those pesky jars.
4. Button Hook
No one should have to clean out their wardrobe because they have issues buttoning up clothing — another excellent tool that you may not have known about is a button hook. Most button hooks are inexpensive, (under $10) and make buttoning up shirts simple and quick. Most button hooks come with a sturdy handle, making it easy to grip. Button hooks are also great for those who suffer from arthritis or low dexterity.
5. Shoe Horn
Shoe horns have become less widely used over the years, but they are still fantastic tools, especially for seniors. What you may not know is that there are plenty of extra-long shoe horns on the market, so you don’t even have to bend down to put on your shoes.
6. Grab Bars
One of our biggest aging-in-place product recommendations is grab bars. Grab bars help reduce the risk of falls by giving individuals a place to hold their weight when getting in and out of the shower or tub. Grab bars can be placed anywhere, but we highly recommend you put them in your bathroom, especially in your bath and/or shower.
7. step2bed
We may have some bias here, but the step2bed is a fantastic product for those who struggle to get in and out of bed. Founded by a former ICU nurse, Vince Baiera, the step2bed is designed to reduce the risk of falls when getting in and out of bed, and make the task of getting in and out of bed easier.
8. step2tub
For increased bathroom safety, installing a bathtub stool is essential. The step2tub is a piece of reliable assistive equipment that allows easy access in and out of the bathtub by offering a wide non-slip surface along with handrails for a firm grip. This device is especially beneficial for those suffering with knee, hip or joint pain or struggles with reduced mobility.
9. Toilet seat raiser
A toilet raiser is perfect for those who have trouble sitting down on the toilet due to the toilet being too low. Using the bathroom shouldn’t be a task that you have to worry about, and the toilet seat raiser — as the name suggests — makes it easier to sit down on the toilet without any added assistance.
10. Heat Lamp For The Bathroom
Another bathroom staple is a heat lamp. If you notice that you are spending more time in the bathroom in older age, a heat lamp is perfect to use when you get out of the bath or shower, or just when you are getting ready for the day.
11. Smart Home
When it comes to smart homes, many younger adults are either for or against smart homes, but they truly are great for seniors. Smart assistive home devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Home can turn on or off lights, appliances, and answer questions for you in seconds. Smart homes can have varying levels of functionality, so it’s best to meet with a representative to see how a smart home can cater to your needs.
12. Home Security System
If you are living alone, a home security system can make you feel safer while aging in place. Ring is a fantastic, basic home security system that monitors who comes near your front door via video. The system is easy to install and has varying levels of functionality based on price.
13. Auto Feeder For Pets
Having furry friends is great, and making sure they are fed is essential. It can be easy for anyone to forget to feed their pets, so an auto feeder is great aging-in-place device that benefits you and your pet. As an owner, you can set out how much you want your pet to receive each meal time, and how many meals your pet will receive daily.
14. Meal Subscription Service
Cooking can be a huge burden if you don’t enjoy it or if you don’t have time to cool. Meal subscription services have come far over the past couple of years and are great for the busy, non-chef. Freshly is a meal subscription-based service that does the cooking for you, all you have to do is microwave your meal and you’re ready to eat!
15. Easy Turn Doorknobs
When it comes to aging in place, those who do not experience joint pain may not think that opening a door is a challenge. However, as one ages, turning a doorknob can be painful and can be a major hassle for those that like to keep their privacy. Great Grips has a great doorknob turning aid that slips onto your current doorknob and doesn’t require you to engage in the “turning’ motion to open a regular doorknob.
16. Pill Reminders
Pill reminders are fantastic for those who struggle to remember if they took their medicine on any given day or not. Pill reminders attach to your prescription bottle cap and will start a timer once you open and close your prescription bottle, if you take your pill every day, can use the stopwatch on the pill reminder cap to track if it has or has not been 24 hours since you took your last dose.
17. Cane Seat
A cane seat is a portable lightweight walking assistive device that features a small retractable seat. This makes trips to the grocery store or a walk to the park a whole lot easier and worry-free. It is a device that offers convenience, especially to those suffering from joint pains or arthritis, where standing for long periods can cause strain and discomfort to the body.
18. Grabber Stick
As we age, it becomes harder to reach up to a high shelf or bend down and pick up things that have fallen. In such a case, a grabber stick incredibly helps seniors perform these simple tasks without any hassle. These grabber sticks come with retractable and adjustable handles. A piece of versatile equipment that must be present in every senior home.
19. Adjustable Seat Cushions
An adjustable seat cushion ensures you are seated in the correct posture, supporting your spine, without straining your back. The extra padding also soothes an already existing backache. Made with various supportive materials such as memory foam and contouring gel, the ergonomic designs of these cushions are ideal in providing that much-needed support and pain relief as you sit to work or simply relax.
20. Padding for Sharp Corners
Look out for sharp corners in furniture around the house. These can be in the bed frame, dining or coffee tables, or shelves. Pad the sharp edges to avoid painful run-ins that may cause deep wounds and injury.
Thank you for these great resources Step2Health!