The most common aging-in-place home improvement

For most people, aging in place means more than simply staying in the same house. It means being able to remain independent, comfortable, and safe in a home that continues to work for you as your needs change.

The good news is that aging-in-place remodeling does not always require a major renovation. Some of the most effective improvements are surprisingly simple.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), grab bars are the most commonly requested aging-in-place remodeling project. In its 2023 Remodeling Market Index survey, 93% of remodelers reported installing grab bars for aging-in-place clients within the previous year. That was followed by curbless showers at 83%, higher toilets at 77%, wider doorways at 63%, and added lighting or task lighting at 49%.

Grab Bars: A Small Upgrade With a Big Impact

Grab bars are particularly valuable in bathrooms, where wet surfaces, changes in balance, and transitions from sitting to standing can create significant fall risks.

Common locations include:

• Inside and outside the shower

• Along the wall of a bathtub

• Near the toilet

• At transitions where someone needs additional support

• Near shower seating

The key is that grab bars should not simply be placed wherever they look convenient. Their location, height, orientation, and attachment method should be considered based on how the person actually moves through the space.

Proper installation matters, too. NAHB's aging-in-place guidance recommends planning for wall reinforcement around tubs, showers, shower seats, and toilets so grab bars can provide substantial support.

This is one reason aging-in-place remodeling is different from simply adding a few accessibility products. The goal is to understand how someone uses the home and then modify the home around those needs.

The Bathroom Is Often the Best Place to Start

If you're considering aging-in-place improvements, the bathroom is one of the smartest places to begin.

A bathroom remodel can incorporate several improvements at once, including:

Curbless or Walk-In Showers

Removing a raised threshold or step can make entering and exiting the shower easier while reducing a common tripping hazard.

A curbless shower can also provide greater flexibility if a walker or wheelchair becomes necessary in the future. NAHB reports that curbless showers are the second most common aging-in-place remodeling project after grab bars.

Comfort-Height Toilets

A higher toilet can make sitting down and standing up easier, particularly for people experiencing changes in strength, balance, or joint mobility.

It's a relatively straightforward improvement that can make an everyday task considerably more comfortable.

Better Lighting

Good lighting is an important part of universal design, but it is often overlooked.

Additional overhead lighting, task lighting, and strategically placed night lighting can make it easier to see changes in floor elevation, bathroom fixtures, and potential obstacles.

NAHB reports that nearly half of remodelers completing aging-in-place projects had added lighting or task lighting.

Non-Slip Flooring

Bathrooms combine water with hard surfaces, making flooring selection especially important.

Non-slip flooring can help reduce the risk associated with wet surfaces. It should be considered as part of the overall bathroom design rather than treated as an afterthought.

Aging in Place Is About More Than the Bathroom

While bathrooms are a common starting point, a truly age-friendly home looks at how a person moves through the entire house.

Wider Doorways and Hallways

A doorway that works perfectly well today may become difficult to navigate with a walker or wheelchair.

Widening doorways and improving circulation paths can create greater flexibility without necessarily requiring a complete remodel. NAHB reports that widening doorways was one of the five most common aging-in-place projects in its survey.

Safer Transitions

Small changes in elevation can become significant obstacles as mobility changes.

Reducing thresholds, creating smoother transitions between flooring materials, and eliminating unnecessary steps can make a home easier to navigate.

Planning Before There Is a Crisis

Perhaps the biggest benefit of aging-in-place remodeling is that you don't have to wait until something goes wrong.

Many homeowners begin making modifications only after a fall, injury, hospitalization, or major change in mobility. But aging in place can be approached proactively.

NAHB found that 88% of homeowners undertaking aging-in-place projects were doing so to plan ahead for future needs.

That shift in thinking is important. Instead of asking, "What does my house need because I can't use it anymore?"

We can ask:

"What can I change now so my home continues to work for me for the next 10, 20, or 30 years?"

Your Home Should Adapt With You

Aging-in-place design doesn't have to look institutional, clinical, or like a medical facility.

Universal design can be beautiful.

Grab bars can be incorporated into a bathroom's overall aesthetic. Showers can be designed to look modern while eliminating unnecessary barriers. Lighting can improve the atmosphere of a room while also improving visibility. Doorways can be widened without making the home feel less welcoming.

The best aging-in-place modifications are often the ones you barely notice because they simply make the home easier to use.

And that's really the point. Your home should support your life, not become an obstacle to it.

Aging-in-place remodeling gives homeowners the opportunity to assess their homes before problems arise, address the highest-risk areas first, and make thoughtful improvements over time.

Sometimes that starts with a grab bar.

Sometimes it means rethinking the bathroom.

And sometimes it means looking at the entire home through a different lens.

The goal is the same: create a home that can grow and change with you.