Adapting Your Home for Assisted Living: A Room-by-Room Guide

Posted on 8 July, 2025

Mobility challenges are inevitable as we age. While “aging in place" isn’t possible for everyone, it is absolutely doable with proactive planning and thoughtful home modifications. This room-by-room guide outlines all the essential home adaptations required to transform your long-time home into a safe, comfortable assisted living environment.

General Home Adaptations

  • Lighting: Prevent trips and falls by maximizing the light in your home. Swap dim, low-wattage light bulbs with newer, brighter bulbs and let in more natural light where you can.
  • Pathways: Maximize available walking space by keeping walkways free of potential tripping hazards and obstacles.
  • Flooring: Use only non-slip rugs and keep your floor free of potential tripping hazards. You may even consider replacing high-pile carpet with smooth, hard flooring or low-pile carpet alternatives.

Room-By-Room Modifications

Bathroom

  • Safety First: Install grab bars at key spots along the wall (e.g. near your toilet and tub and inside your shower).
  • Shower/Tub: Consider upgrading to a walk-in shower or tub with a low threshold and a built-in bench or chair.
  • Toilet: Swap out your standard seat for a semi-permanent or permanent raised toilet seat.
  • Faucets: Opt for lever-style handles for easier gripping.
  • Flooring: Use non-slip mats or treated surfaces in areas that frequently become wet or are high-traffic zones (inside and outside the shower, in front of the sink, around the toilet).

Kitchen

  • Accessibility: Keep frequently used items at an accessible height (not too high or low).
  • Lighting: Install bright overhead task lighting above counters and stove.
  • Flooring: Use non-slip mats in high-traffic areas (e.g. in front of the sink, the stove, and key counter prep areas).

Bedroom

  • Bed Height: For ease of entry and exit, the top of your mattress should be 20 to 23 inches from the floor.
  • Pathways: Make sure you maintain a clear path to your bed, bathroom, and closet.
  • Lighting: Select bedside lamps with large, accessible switches.
  • Medical Alert Systems: Place critical alert systems close by for easy reach.

Living Areas & Hallways

  • Furniture Arrangement: Position furniture to ensure clear pathways and avoid placing too many large furniture pieces in a given space.
  • Rugs: Remove throw rugs that could be tripping hazards (or replace them with non-slip alternatives). 
  • Handrails: Install strategically placed handrails in long hallways or along staircases.
  • Seating: Choose power-motion chairs that are comfortable and easy to get out of.

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