8 Small Home Upgrades With Big Impact for Aging

3. Create safer floors and walkways​

Small rugs that can slide around present a fall risk, so swap out several small throw rugs for a large low-pile area rug that’s secured by a pad underneath and anchored by pieces of furniture. ​

Be mindful of transitions from one space to another, Mann says. “What does it look like on your floor? Do you have a continuous flooring surface? It may be as simple as changing out your threshold, maybe to a slimmer profile.” ​

Also, be sure all walkways are wide enough, and if necessary, remove decorative pieces of furniture, like console tables, that can make an entryway or hallway too narrow. ​

4. Add user-friendly lighting​

“As we age we need more light around the home. So that can mean getting brighter bulbs or just increasing the light you have in the space,” Mann says. ​

Another easy fix: Replace older light switches with rocker switches that toggle back and forth. These are easier to maneuver and can be installed with dimmers that slide up and down along the side of the switch. ​

Also, consider hiring an electrician to lower the location of some light switches, putting them within reach of someone in a wheelchair or in another seated position. Another option is to install voice-activated lights or light bulbs, or ones you can control from your smartphone. ​

Be sure to have safe lighting for nighttime hours. Install nightlights that illuminate your path from the bedroom to the bathroom, for example. (A tip from Mann: Install what are called toe-kick lights toward the base of the wall, so the floor will be illuminated but there won’t be nightlights at eye level that could wake you up.) ​

5. Get a video doorbell​

An easy electronic upgrade, a video doorbell means you won’t have to hurry to the door as soon as the bell rings. You can check the video feed from your phone or iPad to determine who is there, see if packages have been delivered or use a speaker to talk with the person outside. Some of these come with a monthly or annual fee, so be sure to investigate the possibility of added costs. ​

6. Add safe, visible handrails​

Topjian advises clients to paint banisters and other railings in an attractive but contrasting color from their surroundings, so they’re easy to see as you grasp for them. ​

For added security, install grab bars in a shower and elsewhere in a bathroom. Mann emphasizes that these should be installed by a professional who can properly block and anchor the bars to the interior surface of the wall. Bathroom grab bars and other handrails should never be placed on top of tiles or attached to a wall’s surface. ​

7. Upgrade your shower and toilet​

If your home has a traditional bathtub that you step up and into, it may be time to shift to a curbless shower that has no barrier as you enter. Make sure the space where you step into the shower is wide enough to potentially accommodate a wheelchair, and then add a (professionally installed) grab bar and shower seat to create a safer bathing space. ​

Another optional bathroom upgrade: Major brands offer bidet toilets that can make personal hygiene easier as people age.​

8. Swap out your chairs​

People may overlook this, Topjian says, but it’s important to have the right kind of chairs as you get older. ​

For the kitchen, dining room and anywhere else you like to sit, be sure the chairs are sturdy, have arms to steady you as you stand up or sit down and have a firm seat that’s not apt to slip off. ​

And don’t forget, Topjian says, “stay away from swivel chairs.”