How to Create a Senior Friendly Home

More than 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every day. The need to create senior friendly homes is becoming increasingly important as life expectancy rises along with the higher rates of retirement.

With "aging in place," the new and desired way to spend your senior years, it is important to take the proper steps to ensure your home remains a safe environment. 

Making your home senior friendly doesn’t have to break the bank. Over time, you can make simple changes around your home to lower the chance of an accidental fall. Many of these modifications are relatively cheap and easy. Here are some senior-friendly changes that can be made in and around the home. 

According to the National Institute of Aging, 80% of falls occur inthe bathroom. Install grab bars in the shower to make entering and exiting easier. With the potential for slippery floors, finicky shower heads, and leaky faucets, installing grab bars will greatly reduce the chance of a fall. You can also add grab bars next to the toilet for added comfort and extra peace of mind.

Since the advent of technology, we have had wires running haphazardly throughout the house. Keeping wires out of walkways will greatly reduce your chance of a trip or fall. Grommets, wire ties, and tacks can help you pin down any messy wires. And organizing your wires won’t break the bank either—these materials won’t cost you more than a few bucks. Of all the strategies, this is the least expensive way to contribute to a senior friendly home.

The bathroom and kitchen can be contain hard-to-see puddles that can lead to a tragic slip. A few minutes to clean the kitchen or bathroom each day will save you the potential of a life-changing fall.

Keeping all your items in one central place will reduce the chance of losing something and walking all over your house to find it. Make sure to keep a medical alert system handy on your nightstand. Having quick access to help in case of the unthinkable is the ultimate senior-safe addition to your home. For optimal safety, we recommend using a combination of medical alert devices to create your senior friendly home.

Owning pets, though they’re our loved companions, poses risks and challenges. Take a mobile medical alert with you on your next walk with your dog. Your device can help should Fido become unruly. Also, remember to be careful of slippery spills around your pet’s food and water bowls. Consider installing a dog gate to limit your pet to only certain rooms in the house. 

In addition to making the above changes in and around the home, choosing a medical alert device is a great way to maintain your independence while aging in place. You deserve to live in a safe haven, not a danger zone. Take use of these simple steps so you can age in place gracefully and safely.