Question 

I keep hearing about getting your house prepared for “aging in place.”  It all seems like a bit of a come on to me. Do all these old people's devices really make a difference?  I am a very fit 80-year-old, and I do not want my house to look like a hospital room.   

My children keep talking about certain upgrades and I am doing my best to ignore them. I do not want to make changes, and I am not going to have them telling me what to do. 

So, what I really want to know is what matters and what does not.  I don’t want to make any changes, but I guess that I will hear you out. 

Answer 

You can prepare to age in place or you can do nothing, it is your choice as you already know.  Your children are simply being cautious and thoughtful.   

If you are lucky enough to live well into your 90s or beyond, you are going to be living with some degenerative diseases; all humans do.  Your mobility will decrease, your vision is likely to worsen, you may have hearing loss, and the list goes on.  Bodies wear out and yours will also, if you live long enough. With that said, I do recommend a few adjustments. 

Since the number one injury at home is a fall, preventing that from happening is a very good idea, as the likelihood of serious injury from a fall increases as you get older.  You do not have the balance or mobility of a 20-year-old at this point, and you need to take protective measures to prevent a fall. 

Essential is a grab bar in the shower that you regularly use.  Faucet manufacturers now make ones that look like your faucets finish, so they blend in nicely.  Frankly, they should put them in everyone’s shower when they are built. 

Any throw rug you use should have something under it that makes it grip the floor to prevent movement of the rug. 

Stairs should have motion sensing lights to help everyone see the steps better and again a good idea for any home.  They are simple and easy to stick on. 

Prepare to obtain a shower bench if you do not have one built in your walk-in shower.  It is quite easy to find very attractive ones.  It is a great place to balance a foot on when drying your legs.  Just make sure it is stable. 

Have a plan for where you will sleep if you do not have a first-floor bedroom.  Stair climbing almost always becomes an issue for the 95 plus crowd if you make it to that age. 

Exercise daily.  Come up with a varied routine and do at least 20 minutes a day.  Your mobility depends on it. 

Most important is to keep your cell phone in your pocket at all times so that you can call for help if needed.  A medical alert device is another consideration at some point.   

It is a good idea to consider what matters and set those things in place while you can make the decisions, the selections, and oversee or do the work yourself.  Prevention matters to living a long, healthy, and independent life from what you eat, to how you move, and the steps you take to care for yourself.  Look into what is out there, what makes sense to you, and then make the adjustments.  Let your children know that you have done the research and what your plans are.  You can choose to deny, or you can be proactive.