HOME MODIFICATIONS FOR SENIORS: FOR THEIR SAFETY AND INDEPENDENCE

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.

Next Step > Print or save AARP’s HomeFit guide to home safety modifications for seniors (PDF)