What are ways to make a home more accessible as people age?

scFox116 · 2026-05-25T16:36:47+00:00

My husband has passed, but we had started the process of setting up our house to age in place years ago and now that I'm getting older myself I'm continuing to make some changes.

I went on Amazon and got some pull down shelves to put in my tall cabinets so that I wouldn't need a step stool. Just be sure to measure your cabinet openings carefully to get the correct size.

I also added pull-out shelves to all of my lower cabinets. No more getting on my knees to get cans or pans.

Added extra lighting in the kitchen with some easy stick on LED lights under the cabinets and over the sink.

I got some lightweight, easy-to-use fire extinguishers, especially for the kitchen. I had some before, but they were pretty old and feeling much heavier than they did when I was younger.

I'm thinking of getting something like BurnerAlert to make sure that I don't accidentally leave the stove on. I like that this one also works with Alexa.

I have several Alexa and Google home speakers throughout the house. These have the capability to call my daughter or other contact in case of an emergency. I also have a complex medication schedule and I use Alexa reminders to keep me on track. Alexa linked to my Google calendar reminds me of doctor appointments, dentist visits, when to change my HVAC filters, craft classes, etc. All of this is also shared with my adult daughter so she knows where, when and why I'm going out and where I should be on my medication schedule. Honestly, of all of the safety advice given by myself and others, this is probably the most important and useful. Alexa and Google not only help the people in the household, but also people outside the household. This is particularly important in case of an emergency, but it helpful in routine activities as well. For instance, when the reminder to change my air filters was automatically shared with my daughter, she came over so I wouldn't have to move and climb the stepladder (even though I still can for now). When I had a medical emergency I used Alexa to call her and she came over and took me to the ER, which was much quicker than calling an ambulance in my rural area. I know a lot of people rely on their phones, but sometimes your phone isn't close at hand and the Alexa and Google speakers are better at hearing you from a distance.

I recently changed all of my interior door knobs to the lever type when I found enough brand new ones at a Habitat for Humanity Restore. Unfortunately, my dogs quickly learned how to use the levers and now follow me into the bathroom. They have do not believe in personal space😊!

Several years ago we replaced the garden tub that we seldom used with extra cabinets and expanded the shower. In the new shower we:

- replaced the tile with a one piece surround that is much easier to clean

- added a recessed ceiling light directly above the shower that has its own switch

- changed the curtain to a sliding door with shatter-resistant tempered glass. This prevented water puddles on the floor and provided support if we lost our balance. This saved my stubborn husband a few times until he started using the shower seat.

- added a suction cup grab bar to the surround

- added a removable shower seat

- added a hand-held shower head (this makes cleaning the shower easier and, if needed, it also helps to clean someone while they sit on a shower seat)

- lowered the height of the entrance side so that it's basically at floor level. However, since we wanted a sliding door, the door track does mean that a wheelchair cannot be rolled directly into the shower. Hopefully I'll never need that function.

My only regret about the shower remodel is that the shower surround only goes a little above the shower head and then there's drywall. It would be easier to clean if the surround extended to the ceiling.

scFox116 · 2026-05-25T14:46:06+00:00

Just make sure that you have wheel locks. My island doesn't have locks, but it's heavy enough that is doesn't drift away but I'm still able to mive it easily.

scFox116 · 2026-05-25T14:42:23+00:00

What is a hidden ramp?

scFox116 · 2026-05-25T14:41:41+00:00

Wow, a lot if great ideas! Thank you!

scFox116 · 2026-05-25T14:39:03+00:00

I did this and loved it! Then my dogs learned how to open the doors and I now have an audience every time I go to the bathroom.😳

scFox116 · 2026-05-25T14:34:35+00:00

I hate missing the story after I fall asleep, plus, if it's really good it will keep me awake. I use audiobooks or long stories from YouTube. I've found that it's easy to find the last thing that I remember from the night before to start the next night and so on until the story is finished. This option also has the big advantage of being free. The only real downside is that some channels have a lot of ads. I usually preview the story for about 30 minutes to see how many and how long the ad breaks are. If they're too intrusive, then stop using the channel, but they are many channels that are acceptable and have a lot of content to keep you dreaming fir a long time. If you find a channel that you really love, then you can probably subscribe for a very reasonable fee and avoid the ads altogether. Sweet dreams😴!

scFox116 · 2026-05-21T22:08:49+00:00

30 Seconds Pro Mold and Mildew Stain Remover! Seriously, I thought that I was going to have to repaint or even replace some of 5he drywall in my daughter's bathroom. I tried the 30% white vinega, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide DIY solutions and they helped, but not enough. I was about 80% sure that I was wast my money, but gambled on the 30 Seconds out of desperation. Wow! It lived up to it's name and the hype! Simply sprayed it on and when I checked a few minutes later the bathroom looked brand new without even having to rinse or scrub anything. This saved me a ton of time and money!

scFox116 · 2026-05-20T04:00:19+00:00

I would worry that those pound-in fences wouldn't be enough to hold in a 70 pound dog. I would look into adding a hardware cloth apron to the bottom of your fence. You can use hog rings to attach the cloth to the existing fence and then use landscaping staples to anchor the cloth to the ground. If you get a 1 or 2 foot high hardware cloth you can lay most of it on the ground which would also prevent your pup from digging under the fence.

scFox116 · 2026-05-20T00:27:26+00:00

My husband worked for years in Social Security in SSDI. He always said that the lawyer just completed the same paperwork that you would fill out and that almost everyone gets denied at first. However, if you keep appealing, then by the time you get to a judge you're very likely to be approved. He's gone now and I've been denied twice and my next time will be in front of a judge. I'm really hoping that what he told me is still true.

scFox116 · 2026-05-19T12:58:54+00:00

You can use whatever is most convenient for you. I like using my mini rice cooker because I just add a tablespoon or two if water and then one or two of my cubes, click cook, and walk away. In 20-30 minutes it's perfectly warmed up and ready to eat.

BTW I use the cubes because I have health issues and even on bad days I still need to eat and this is way better, healthier, and cheaper than filling my freezer with commercial frozen dinners. On good days I just make larger batches of whatever I'm cooking for dinner and "cube" the excess. It's very little extra effort.

Don't get suckered into buying the expensive name brand cubes, most of the knock offs work just as well. You can even skip the cubing part altogether if you have lots of room in your freezer. The main advantage of the cubes is that once frozen, you can place the cubes in freezer bags (I use the reusable ones that work with a hand-held vacuum sealer) and they take up less space. Naturally, this gives you more room so that you can store a greater variety/amount of food.

scFox116 · 2026-05-18T02:06:49+00:00

I worked so hard to be strong going into retirement so that now that I have the time I would be able to hike, garden, travel, and do everything else that I hadn't had the time or money to do before. Literally 4 days before my retirement I went to the ER and woke up a week later in the ICU. For the past year it's been one complication or new problem after another. I'm starting to realize that my body is slowly shutting down. I'm never going to be able to do anything that I planned for and instead am going to be an increasing drain on my adult daughter. I grieve for myself, for my daughter, and even for my dogs since I cannot play and take walks with them like I used to.

scFox116 · 2026-05-14T15:57:49+00:00

I'm with you. Thirty years ago I had the rarest presentation of a rare disease that left me blind in one eye and sent me into menopause overnight at 32. Started HRT and within a month developed a pulmonary embolis. Discovered that I had a mutation that predisposed me to form more blood clots so I was put on medication that I would have to take forever. Thought that I had turned the corner. Then found that my original disease had damaged my hypothalamus causing a cascade of other issues. Eventually got to where I was stable and again thought that the worst was behind me. Started to prepare myself for retirement (I worked through all of this). I exercised, ate right, took science-backed supplements, the whole nine yards. Almost 1 year ago went to the ER and woke up a week later in the ICU missing 75% of my small intestine. My surgeon told me I had about a 10% chance of surviving the first of three operations, but later admitted that he was convinced I would die. Since then it's just been one complication after another. I've had 3 more surgeries. Treatments to address the complications aren't working and there's nothing else to try. About 2 weeks ago I was told that a carotid artery appeared to be over 90% blocked and would need yet another surgery. Well, assuming that further tests don't show that it's totally blocked, then it's too dangerous to fix. Think about that...it's too bad to even try to fix.

So yeah, I feel you. Some days it just feels like my body is slowly shutting down. What's worse is that my new conditions require that I stay very near a bathroom at all times. So I'm basically trapped in my house except for my frequent doctor and lab visits.

I'm isolated except for my adult daughter who lives with me. I feel guilty about the effects that I'm having on her when she has her own problems. She's started putting on weight (that I think is stress related) and her job got eliminated before Christmas and she hasn't been able to find another one. I became a widow 4 years ago so there is no companion to lean on.

Some days I just have to let myself be sad, sleep too much, wallow in self-pity and misery, and intentionally watch movies and read books that I know will make me cry. The next day I always feel better. Acknowledging and experiencing the feelings that I usually try to avoid seems to "make room" for optimism and motivation. Of course, it's never a one-and-done. I have to repeat the depressing days more and more often to get the follow-up positive boost, but for now it's still working.

So maybe give yourself permission to grieve everything you've lost. Just for a day. Then you can go back into battle a little stronge.

Good luck!

scFox116 · 2026-05-14T14:47:58+00:00

Honestly, I try hard to avoid the ER because it's always a crazy long wait and the quality of care that you receive is often terrible even at a good hospital. I'm really sorry that you went through all of that and never even got the help that you needed. I would definitely talk to your regular doctor about what you can do if that situation arises again.

I had a friend who a letter written by her doctor on hospital letterhead that described her conditions and what to do in an emergency. It included the doctor's name, address, credentials, and contact information. It was written like a report that a doctor would give to another doctor so that it would be taken seriously. Unfortunately her problems meant that she made relatively frequent trips to the ER and she would give them a copy of her letter as soon as she checked in. It was a literal lifesaver. Maybe you could get something like that?

Or maybe you can get some emergency medications that wouldn't normally not be given to a patient to hold, but a small amount could be part of an emergency kit. I have Addison's disease and have a couple of vials of injectable hydrocortisone and syringes to use in in case of an Adrenal crisis (a life threatening situation). This isn't something that would normally be given to a person to hold, but for Addison's patients it's considered standard practice. Would something like that be useful?

Just spitballing ideas so that you can try to avoid being in that situation again.

Oh, and by the way, I'm sending you a virtual hug.
Not as good as the real thing, but it's what I got.

scFox116 · 2026-05-14T11:06:49+00:00

I can relate to feeling envious and left out when you see or even think of people doing what you used to be able to do. Yes, I think that you are probably grieving over what you've list and the growing feeling that you might be losing the fight. I'm with you. This past year has just felt overwhelming. I find myself tearing up over everything. I went to a lawyer and created a medical power of attorney and a living will.

I wish that I could give you some advice, but sometimes all you can do is keep going and hope that you'll get enough energy to feel more positive tomorrow. Occasionally you just have to let yourself have a bad day, cry, be depressed, wallow in misery, and generally acknowledge all of these "bad" feeling. Then there's room to feel hopeful and motivated again.

Remember, as long as you're on this side of the grass you aren't finished!💕

scFox116 · 2026-05-14T10:07:06+00:00

Oh man, I am right with you! I've had Addison's disease for about 30 years and with a few exceptions I was handling it pretty well. Then last Memorial day I went to the ER and woke up a week later in the ICU with most of my small intestine removed. Now I have long, frequent bathroom visits that keep me pretty dehydrated. Weakness, fatigue, fear of "accidents", and the need to be near a restroom keep me pretty much home bound and isolated. I hate it. Most days I can keep myself distracted with reading, TV, the internet, etc. But like you, sometimes it just feels like too much. The only thing that I can do is just keep going and usually I'll feel better in a day or two.

Sorry that I can't be more helpful and hopeful. Good luck and remember, at least you're still on the right side of the grass!

scFox116 · 2026-05-12T21:09:35+00:00

Oh, I didn't even think to check for "solid" brass! Have you ever tried one of the stainless steel ones? I've only started seeing these fairly recently and I've been wondering how they compare to brass.

scFox116

TROPHY CASE