Aging in Place Remodel: Smart and Simple Upgrades That Help

An aging in place remodel makes your home work for you as your needs change, so you can stay where you are. Most people want exactly that. AARP’s 2024 Home and Community Preferences survey found that 75 percent of adults 50 and older would like to live in their current home. Wanting to stay is the easy part. The planning is what makes it work. Here are the changes that matter most, from simple fixes to smart home features, and how to decide what you need.

Quick answers

• Where should you start? The bathroom, the entry, and the lighting.
• What helps most? Fewer trip hazards, better light, and a bathroom that’s safe to use.
• Do smart features help? Yes, when they solve a real problem, like answering the door without a trip across the house.
• Who should you ask? Your doctor or an occupational therapist about your needs, and a designer about the house.

Why plan ahead?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than one out of four older people falls each year, and that falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries for older adults. It lists broken or uneven steps and throw rugs or clutter as hazards, and says many risk factors can be changed. A remodel is a chance to change them for good.

1. Start with the bathroom

In AARP’s survey, about 43 percent of older adults wanted changes to better accommodate future physical limitations. Among those planning changes, 72 percent wanted to upgrade the bathroom, with grab bars and no-slip tile as examples. A walk-in shower that’s easy to step into, solid blocking in the walls for grab bars, and a slip-resistant floor all help. Our tub or shower post covers one of the biggest decisions, and our bathroom remodeling page shows what we build. A guest bathroom typically takes about 4 to 6 weeks with us, and a primary bathroom about 8 to 12.

2. Make the entry and the paths easy

AARP found that 71 percent of those planning changes anticipated work to make it easier to enter or move around the home, such as ramps or chairlifts. Think about the steps at each door, the width of the path through the house, and whether floors are even. Clear clutter and secure or remove throw rugs. If stairs are a worry, consider moving the main bedroom and bathroom to the first floor. Our primary suite addition guide shows ways to find the space.

3. Fix the lighting

Better light is one of the simplest ways to make a home easier to use. The NKBA’s kitchen planning guidelines suggest lighting from multiple adjustable sources, and the idea works in every room. Add light at stairs, hallways, and the path from the bedroom to the bathroom. Put switches where you enter a room, not across it.

4. Add smart features that solve real problems

Smart home features work best when they remove a hassle. These are some of the most useful.

• Voice control. Lights, thermostats, and other devices respond to your voice, which helps if reaching or fine motor tasks are hard.
• A video doorbell. You can see and speak to a visitor from anywhere in the house, so there’s no rush to the door.
• Lighting and thermostat schedules. Lights that come on at set times, and a thermostat with a large display, reduce things to remember and read.
• Motorized blinds. They remove the need to reach up to adjust shades.
• An emergency response system. AARP found that 64 percent of those planning modifications intended to install one, and 44 percent wanted smart home security features.

If a family member will use a monitoring system, talk it through with them first. Privacy and comfort matter as much as the technology. Many of these features are easiest to install while walls are open, so plan them early.

5. Think about who lives in the house

Sometimes the plan includes a relative moving in. Our post on building an in-law apartment covers the problems to avoid. Whichever situation fits you, plan around how the person actually lives day to day.

How long does it take, and what does it cost?

It depends on what you change. Your project manager confirms the schedule once the design is final. There’s no single price, and you get an itemized estimate once your design is final.

Aging in place remodel questions

What’s the first change to make?

The bathroom, for most people.

Do I need to remodel everything at once?

No. Many homeowners start with the room that matters most.

Are smart features worth it?

When they solve a real daily problem, yes.

Ready to plan your aging in place remodel?

Tell us how you live and what’s getting harder, and we’ll talk through what to change first.