As we age, our routines and abilities can change, and our homes may no longer support our needs in the ways they once did.

For instance, a rug we once loved can now pose a tripping hazard, replacing a light bulb may require an extra set of hands, and a doorway that once worked fine may be too narrow to navigate through with a walker. Adapting our living spaces to meet our changing needs is an ongoing and important process.

About 78% of older adults live in their own homes,¹ yet most housing was not built for aging in place.  While 16% of adults aged 65–79 and 37% of adults age 80+ experience difficulty walking and climbing stairs,² less than 4% of U.S. homes offers the three foundational features of accessible housing—single-floor living, no-step entries, and wide hallways and doorways.³

Most of us need to modify our homes to support aging in place.

Top Aging-in-Place Considerations at a Glance*

*(See the Home Safety Checklist for more details)

How can my home better support me as I age?

Making changes to your home environment can help you reduce your falls risk and enhance your capacity to remain safe and comfortable at home.

The Steps to a Safe and Supportive Home Checklist is a good place to start.

• Not sure where to begin? Focus on the bedroom, bathroom, and stairs (the most common sites of at-home falls).⁴ Start with small changes you can do yourself.
• Think it’s too early to start now? No matter your age, if you are remodeling your home, it’s a great time to incorporate home modifications and smart home features that will support you to age in place.
• Concerned about cost? While some home modifications can be more expensive, many effective options are low-cost. Funding or assistance programs may also be available to help offset expenses. Most importantly, making these changes early can pay off in the long run by helping prevent fall-related injuries and medical costs that can follow.
• Find the fun in the process! For some, modifying your home can be an emotional and difficult task. Find ways to make it more enjoyable—choose materials in your favorite color, learn how to use smart technology to set medication reminders and also play your favorite songs, talk to friends and family to get their opinions, or try out new ways to decorate and personalize your space.

Are you prepared to age in place?

It is important to start preparing early to ensure that your home and community are equipped with the resources and supports you need to remain safe and comfortable at home. These questions about your current and future needs can help you determine if you will have the support you need to live in the community or home of your choice.

Housing stability, accessibility, and affordability:

• Could your home benefit from home modifications to ensure you can easily do your daily activities?
• Do you have the financial resources to make home modifications?
• Will you be able to afford your rent or mortgage, property taxes, as well as the costs of maintaining your home?

Support for changing health needs

• Can you do daily activities like bathing, dressing, and moving around the home?
• If you need support now or in the future (due to illness or injury), do you have family or friends who can help, and/or financial resources for in-home care?

Accessible neighborhood and community

• Can you get around your neighborhood easily and safely?
• Is it easy to access public transportation?
• Do you have easy access to: health care services; nutritious, affordable food; opportunities for social engagement like senior centers and libraries; and safe areas for physical activity nearby or by public transit?

Community-based supports

• Do you have access to supportive community-based services should you need them? Examples include home delivered meals, congregate meal sites, free or low-cost transportation, non-profit programs, and other home- and community-based services.
• Are you aware of and enrolled in the benefits you are eligible for?

Quality of life

• Do you feel safe in your neighborhood?
• Do you have family or other social supports nearby now, and will you in the future if your health needs change over time? You don’t want to be stuck in a place where you’re isolated, but rather a community where you can thrive.

Who can help me age in place?

If the answer to any of the questions above is “no,” or if you’re unsure, here are some helpful resources and sources of information on topics including how to find supportive services near you, home modification programs and providers in your area, funding sources, and more. You can also speak with friends and family, check your insurance coverage, or meet with a financial advisor to create your plan for aging in place.

• Area agencies on aging (AAA): AAAs are local leaders on aging that coordinate and deliver a range of services that support older adults to remain in their homes. Over half of Area Agencies on Aging provide home modifications, like handrails and non-slip bathmats.7 Contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn about resources in your community by calling Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or by visiting eldercare.acl.gov.
• State falls prevention coalitions: State falls prevention coalitions exist as a hub for falls prevention information in most states and may be able to connect you with trusted state or community-based home modification providers.
• Health care professionals: Occupational and physical therapists can assess your home along with your individual functioning and recommend individualized safety improvements. Learn more about Medicare coverage for physical therapy services.
• Housing professionals: Organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or Rebuilding Together as well as local housing providers and contractors that are trained in home modification can be important resources for installing modifications that require professional tools and skills.
• Assistive technology providers: Each state operates an Assistive Technology Program that helps individuals with disabilities and older adults learn about and access tools that enhance independence. Find contact information for your state's Assistive Technology Program
• Tribal communities: The Native Elder Service Locator – National Resource Center on Native American Aging offers a directory of state-based services for tribal elders. Available services can include home repairs, shared housing, and home modifications.
• Funding sources: Depending on a range of factors, including income, ability, age, and veteran-status, you may qualify for funding to make necessary changes to your home environment. Explore home modification funding sources by state.

More aging in place resources

NCOA’s 5 Easy Ways to Make Your Home Safer handout provides a manageable set of actions for taking the first step to improve your home safety. The New York Times Want to Age Well at Home? Room-by-Room Tour and Falls Free Wisconsin’s Interactive Home Safety Challenge provide highly visual and interactive tools for understanding how features of your home can be adapted to make your home safer.

The Inventory of Home Assessment Tools for Professionals and Individuals, compiled by the University of Southern California and NCOA, provides a list of available home assessments including those intended for use by professionals and non-professionals. Home assessment tools available for individual use include:

• CDC Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults
• AARP HomeFit Guide
• Rebuilding Together Safe at Home Checklist

While improving home safety is a critical step in preventing falls and aging in place, it’s just one part of staying healthy and independent as you age. Taking a proactive, holistic approach that includes attention to all your physical, emotional, and social needs can help you remain confident, healthy, and engaged in your home and community.

Sources

1. U.S. Census. Homeownership Rates by Age of Householder: First Quarter 2025 and 2026 (in percent). 2026. Found on the internet at https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/data/detailed_tables.html

2. The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Housing America’s Older Adults. 2023. Found on the internet at https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/housing-americas-older-adults-2023

3. Scheckler, S., Molinsky, J., & Airgood-Obrycki, W. How well does the housing stock meet accessibility needs? An analysis of the 2019 American Housing Survey. 2022. Found on the internet at https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research-areas/working-papers/how-well-does-housing-stock-meet-accessibility-needs-analysis-2019

4. Moreland, Kakara, Haddad, Shakya, Bergen. A Descriptive Analysis of Location of Older Adult Falls That Resulted in Emergency Department Visits in the United States, 2015. 2020. Found on the internet at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8669898/

5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facts About Falls. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/facts-stats/index.html

6. Stark et al. Home Hazard Removal to Reduce Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults. 2021. Found on the internet at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8408671/

7. USAging. 2025 Chartbook: AAAs Respond to Complex Community Needs: Trend and New Directions from the National Survey of Area Agencies on Aging. 2025. Found on the internet at https://www.usaging.org/Files/02127-USAging-2025-Chartbook-Report-508.pdf

This project was supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $5,000,000 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.”