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Family Caregiving Starts at Home

Ideas for Making a Loved One’s Home Safer and More Comfortable

Most people prefer to stay in their own homes as they grow older, often making it one of the tasks of family caregivers to ensure the safety of loved ones living in houses that have rarely been updated to meet their changing needs. What’s more, housing policies do not require single-family homes to comply with the same accessibility standards as apartment buildings.

This is a growing issue for older adults, whose numbers are set to skyrocket in the next decade. “The vast majority of Americans live in single family homes,” says Dr. Rodney Harrell, Vice President, Family, Home and Community, AARP Public Policy Institute. “What that means is it's really up to us individually to try to navigate whether our homes can meet our needs – and what to do when our circumstances change.”

Home renovations or changes can be a significant time-and-cost investment but, as Harrell explains, there are also low-to-no-cost ways to make homes safer and more comfortable, by paying attention to hidden hazards and building smart design into home updates ahead of time.

Like many Americans, Harrell has helped care for his own older parents, and helped them make updates or improvements to their home to better ensure their safety and independence. There are a number of simple solutions that can be made, he says, including placing front-loading washing machines on a pedestal to make them easier to reach, or changing faucets to lever-style handles to make them easier to turn on or off.

Another, more ambitious project is a zero-step entrance that is both wheelchair accessible and aesthetically pleasing. “I used this at my parents' house, it's called a landscape ramp,” Harrell says. He explains that they replaced the four steps leading to the front door with a sloped walkway built into the ground. “Along the sides, we filled in earth next to the walkway, so that it fits right in with the landscaping and looks seamlessly built in.”

Entrance ramps can look institutional, Harrell notes, which can be a deterrent to people who don’t want to give up the comforts or appeal of their own home. The landscape ramp is an example of what design experts call “universal design,” in which more access and ease is built into the home design, not tacked on later.

Universal design is particularly applicable to certain architectural elements often found in older houses that can create unexpected hazards. People don’t necessarily think about elevations within the home beyond staircases - like the steps going down to a sunken living room for example. Narrow hallways, tight bathrooms, and the low height of most electrical outlet placements can also create issues when residents need to navigate areas of their home or try to reach down to plug in an electric cord.

Thinking ahead is the approach that folks need to have. And not just for your future self Dr. Rodney Harrell, Vice President, Family, Home and Community, AARP Public Policy Institute

Caregivers should be aware of all potential dangers in a living space, and some small changes can make a difference without having to make major improvements. “Lighting is one thing that people don’t pay a ton of attention to,” Harrell says. “If you do have those steps and those changes in elevation, it’s important to be able to see them.” Simply switching to brighter light bulbs throughout the house can help mitigate hidden hazards like extra steps or loose area rugs — which Harrell also recommends doing away with or securing to the floor. Simple fixes like replacing knob handles with lever handles and rearranging furniture can be a first step.

Making these kinds of small changes also has the advantage of being both low-effort and low-cost, unlike a full home renovation overhaul. This brings us back to the most important idea - creating a home that is fundamentally more user friendly from the start.

Harrell advises thinking ahead when remodeling, folding better design elements into other changes a homeowner is already making. When managing extensive renovations to make a home more welcoming and safe for a loved one, caregivers should be aware of all design and product options for easier and safer living. “The first thing is to think broadly about your current and future needs, and to have this conversation up front so whoever you’re working with understands those needs.”

A family caregiver may not live with their loved one and so it is essential for everyone that the home be as safe as possible. Smart home technology like smart speakers – which can be game-changing in terms of communication and even daily tasks - are another way to provide built-in safety tools and support independence. But they can come with their own pitfalls.

“The idea that you don't necessarily need to leave your home to connect with your friends or get up to turn on your lights or control your thermostat is great,” Harrell says. “But it’s important for individuals to be aware of any privacy concerns that may accompany smart devices and recognize that voice command technology is not perfect and can be frustrating in some cases.”

If there is one piece of wisdom that Harrell would leave family caregivers with, it is this: “Thinking ahead is the approach everyone needs to have.” And not just for your future self, “but think about all the people that could enter your home, all the family members and those who might have physical challenges. If we start thinking that way, that broadly and that long-term, that's when you can end up having the solutions that really meet your needs.”