Home safety modifications keep seniors independent longer
Home modifications for seniors reduce fall risk and help older adults stay independent in their homes for as long as possible.
Falls are a top reason why seniors lose independence and mobility. Hazards in the home can add up over time, making it easier for older adults to trip, fall, and hurt themselves.
We found an excellent guide to home modifications for older adults from AARP.
It takes you step by step through the entire house and explains specific changes that are important for keeping seniors safe.
Here, we give an overview of what the guide covers.
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A room-by-room guide to home modifications for seniors
AARP’s free HomeFit guide is a bit long – for a good reason. It makes your job easier because you can print it out and use it as a checklist.
The entire guide is worth looking at, but we’ve highlighted the most useful sections in case you want to jump around.
Most helpful sections: Page 4 – The Room-by-Room HomeFit Tour
Walks through each room of the house, including the outside
Explains what you would find in a “HomeFit” home – basically, a safe one with accessible design for all
Page 12 – Home Fitness for Specific Needs
Covers good lighting, which is essential for seniors because aging eyes need much more light than younger ones
Includes making things easy to reach for those who are frail or weak
Page 14 – Use This, Not That
A visual shopping guide with pictures of recommended home safety modification items
Brief explanations of why these items are better than “traditional” items
Page 16 – Your HomeFit “To Do” Lists
Excellent lists that separate the senior home safety modifications into those you can do yourself and those that will require a handyman or contractor
Additional tips for how to hire a contractor and make sure they do a good job
Page 22 – Resources
3 helpful online resources where you can learn more about home modifications for older adults
In addition to these sections, the AARP HomeFit guide also has a quiz to help you assess your older adult’s home, information about occupational therapists and certified aging-in-place specialists, and tips for saving money on heating and cooling bills.
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By DailyCaring Editorial Team
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