Seniors, parents and family moves
Home Safety and Aging in Place in the Sacramento Region
Room-by-room safety changes, how a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist looks at a home, where to find help paying and when moving makes more sense.
Can your parent stay safely in their own home?
Often, yes, with the right changes. Many people want to stay in the home they know. A few changes can make that much safer.
Falls are the main thing to plan around. The CDC says (page last reviewed September 4, 2026) that 1 in 4 older adults report falling every year. It also says falls are the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older. Most of the changes below aim to prevent them.
Maggie B. Hopkins is a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) and a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®). Her job here is to help you see both choices clearly: changing the home or moving. If staying is the better plan, we will say so.
What does a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist look for?
A CAPS walk-through looks at how a person actually moves through the house, not only at the house itself. The questions are practical:
- Can your parent get in and out of the house without steps, or with a rail?
- Is there a bedroom and full bathroom on the main floor?
- Can they get in and out of the shower or tub safely?
- Can they reach what they use every day without a step stool?
- Is the lighting good at night, from the bed to the bathroom?
- Would the home work with a walker or wheelchair if needs change?
Our free Aging in Place Home Check walks you through these questions in a few minutes.
What safety changes help most in the bathroom?
The bathroom is where many falls happen, because floors are wet and space is tight. Common changes include:
- Grab bars by the toilet and in the shower, anchored into wall framing. A towel bar is not a grab bar.
- A walk-in or curbless shower in place of a tub, or a tub transfer bench as a lower-cost step.
- A handheld shower head and a shower seat.
- A comfort-height toilet or a raised seat.
- Non-slip flooring or mats, and a night light.
- Lever handles on faucets, which are easier on hands than knobs.
What safety changes help in the kitchen, bedroom and stairs?
Kitchen. Move everyday dishes and food to shelves between waist and shoulder height. Pull-out shelves help in lower cabinets. Lever handles and good task lighting help too. A stove with front controls, or one that shuts off on its own, is worth a look.
Bedroom. Keep a clear path from the bed to the bathroom. Add a lamp or light switch reachable from bed and motion lights along the way. A bed at the right height makes getting up safer.
Stairs and entries. Add sturdy handrails on both sides and bright lighting at the top and bottom. Contrasting tape on step edges helps. At the front door, a ramp or a no-step entry may help. A stair lift can work where a main-floor bedroom is not possible.
Through the house. Remove throw rugs and loose cords. Swap door knobs for levers. Widen tight doorways if a walker or wheelchair is likely. Keep a phone or a medical alert device within reach.
How much do aging-in-place home modifications cost?
It depends on the house and the change. Many of the most useful changes cost little. Removing rugs, adding lights and rearranging the kitchen are examples. Grab bars installed into framing cost more but are still a modest project. Remodeling a bathroom, adding a ramp or a stair lift, or creating a main-floor bedroom are larger projects. They can run into real money.
We do not quote prices on this page, because every home is different. Get at least two written bids from licensed contractors. Ask whether they have done accessibility work before. For bigger projects, ask whether a permit is needed.
Then compare the total with the cost of a move. That includes selling, buying or renting the next place, and moving. Our cost to sell guide helps with that side of the math.
Is there help paying for home safety changes?
Some programs can help, depending on who your parent is and where they live:
- Veterans. The VA's Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant helps eligible Veterans make medically necessary changes, such as entry access and bathroom changes. The VA lists a lifetime benefit of $6,800 for a service-connected condition, or for a Veteran rated 50% or more. It lists $2,000 for other conditions (checked October 22, 2026). The VA has other housing grants for Veterans with severe disabilities. Our VA and military page has more.
- Rural homeowners 62 and older. USDA Rural Development's Section 504 Home Repair program offers grants to very-low-income owners 62 and older in eligible rural areas. The program fact sheet lists a $10,000 lifetime grant limit. The grant must be repaid if the home is sold within three years (checked October 22, 2026). Some outlying parts of our region may qualify, so check the address with USDA.
- Your local Area Agency on Aging. These agencies can point you to local repair and safety programs. The California Department of Aging lists them by county.
- Home equity. A home equity line or a reverse mortgage (HECM) can pay for changes. A reverse mortgage requires counseling first and comes with ongoing obligations. See our reverse mortgage and home equity line pages.
Program rules and amounts change, so confirm with the agency before you count on them. This is general information, not legal, tax or benefits advice.
When do home modifications make more sense than moving?
Changing the home often makes sense when:
- The home already has, or can have, a bedroom and full bath on the main floor.
- The changes needed are modest compared with the cost of a move.
- Your parent's care needs are steady, and help can come to the home.
- Family, friends, doctors and errands are close by.
- Your parent strongly wants to stay, and the home can be made safe.
Moving often makes more sense when:
- The house is two stories with no workable main-floor bedroom.
- The yard, the repairs or the upkeep have become too much.
- Your parent is alone most of the day and isolation is growing.
- Care needs are growing faster than in-home help can keep up.
- The changes needed would cost a large share of what a move would.
Our Is It Time to Downsize? check gives a plain answer in two minutes. Our blog post on reverse mortgage or downsize compares the money side.
What if your parent wants to stay but you're worried?
It is their home and their decision, as long as they are able to make it. Push less and ask more. Ask what worries them about moving, and what would make staying feel safer.
Small changes often open the conversation. A grab bar and better lighting are easier to agree to than a move. Our blog post on what to do when a parent refuses to move has more ideas.
If your parent decides to move later, the safety changes help the house sell too. Buyers of all ages notice a main-floor bath and good lighting. If a move to care becomes the plan, see assisted living vs. memory care.
How do you get started making a home safer for aging in place?
Start with the free Aging in Place Home Check. It takes a few minutes and shows where the house stands.
Then, if you want a second set of eyes, tell us about the house or call Maggie at (916) 549-3131. As a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, she can walk the home with you, in person or on video. She lays out the cost of changes next to the cost of a move. If a reverse mortgage or home equity line might pay for the changes, she can shop the loan as a mortgage broker. You are free to use any lender you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important safety change for an older adult at home?
Preventing falls. The CDC says falls are the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older. Grab bars in the bathroom, good lighting and removing throw rugs are common first steps.
What is a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist?
CAPS is a designation for people trained to assess how a home works for someone as they age, and which changes help them stay safely. Maggie B. Hopkins holds the CAPS designation.
Does Medicare pay for grab bars or home modifications?
Generally not for home changes like grab bars or ramps. Ask your parent's doctor and their Medicare plan what is covered, since some plans offer extra benefits. HICAP offers free Medicare counseling at (800) 434-0222.
Are there grants for seniors to make home repairs?
Some. USDA's Section 504 program offers grants to very-low-income owners 62 and older in eligible rural areas. The VA's HISA grant helps eligible Veterans. Your local Area Agency on Aging may know of other programs.
Can a reverse mortgage pay for aging-in-place changes?
It can, for homeowners 62 and older who qualify. It requires HUD-approved counseling first. The borrower must keep paying property taxes, insurance and upkeep. Call Maggie at (916) 549-3131 to talk through whether it fits.
How do we know whether to modify the house or move?
Compare the cost and the result. Changes often make sense when a main-floor bedroom and bath exist and care needs are steady. A move often makes more sense when the house is two stories with no workable main floor, or care needs are growing.
Do safety changes hurt resale value?
Well-done changes such as a main-floor bath, a curbless shower and good lighting appeal to many buyers. Very specialized equipment may need to be removed or priced into the sale. We can talk through how a change might affect a future sale.
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