Will that multi-level house eventually challenge its occupants and those who care about them? As owners age, a set of stairs once bounded two and three at a time can become like scaling Mt. Everest.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) found that nearly 90 percent of survey respondents preferred to remain in their current homes as they aged. But older Americans and their kids worry whether the home will remain both safe and comfortable, or if adult children will instead welcome their parents or in-laws into their homes. Most parents don’t want to impose on their children, wish to maintain their independence and don’t want to be forced from their homes into an assisted living “facility”.

Fortunately, a movement within the housing industry and groups assisting seniors recognizes the growing demand to accommodate “aging in place” in both existing and new homes, even to include a planned likelihood of in-home care. I blogged about Universal Design, and the AARP administers the designation CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialist), which incorporates UD as well as guidance from the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).

I’ll address two common objections: 1. modifications are expensive and 2. the safety/accessibility options are ugly or look “institutional”.

On the first point, some changes literally cost nothing, especially for new construction, like raising the height of a wall outlet adds zero cost to building new. No-cost alterations to existing homes merely require effort to move (hide power or phone cords) or remove (throw rugs, clutter) to prevent tripping hazards. Some low cost changes include replacing standard light switches with rocker switches, adding hinge extensions to add 2 inches of doorway width and installing night lights in hallways. Indeed, modifications that alter walls, plumbing or electrical are more expensive but can be accomplished on a budget. For example, installing pull-out drawers for pots and pans can be achieved inexpensively, usually by altering cabinetry with new hardware.

As for aesthetics, let’s take grab-bars or handrails for instance, many seniors don’t want their home to look like a hospital. Suppliers are definitely in tune with consumer preferences to achieve better sales so most fixtures come in an array of colors and decorative styles to match any bathroom. The average person wouldn’t notice there’s a grab-bar in the shower stall unless they were purposely looking for it.

The AARP provides handy checklists of primary areas of a home. Click below and notice the common thread of addressing reach and access:

• Entrances & Exits
• Kitchen & Laundry Room
• Bedroom
• Bathroom
• Den & Living Room
• Stairways & Halls

I emphasize these are the basics, Universal Design and the ADA guidelines are far more comprehensive. Most importantly, one size does not fit all, modifications are customized to the owners needs, preference and lifestyle; however, the end game is the same, to make home safe home.