Aging in place checklists

Home walkthrough. Entry: is there a step, is there a handrail, is the lock reachable and operable with a closed fist, is the path lit and drained? Hallways: 36 inches of clear width, nothing stored along the walls, switches at both ends. Bathroom: how do they get into the shower, what are they holding onto, is the toilet approach clear, is there a night light? Bedroom: is the bed at a height they can rise from, is there a lamp reachable from lying down, is the path to the bathroom clear? Kitchen: is anything used daily stored below knee or above shoulder height? Stairs: handrails on both sides, uniform treads, contrast at the nosings, light at both ends.

Fall hazard sweep. Every loose rug — gone, not taped down. Every cord across a walking path — rerouted. Every dark stretch of route between bed and bathroom — lit, ideally by motion sensor. Every transition strip that sticks up over ¼ inch — the ADA bevels those and ramps anything over ½ inch (§303), and in a house that means fix it or remove it. Every thing being used as a handhold that isn't a grab bar — towel bar, sink edge, shower door, radiator. Note each one; they mark exactly where a real grab bar should go.

Caregiver readiness. Where does the caregiver stand during a transfer, and is there room? Is there a chair in the bathroom? Where do medications live, and is that place unambiguous? Is there a written list of medications, physicians and the pharmacy somewhere a paramedic would find it? Does someone outside the house have a key or a lockbox code? Is there a plan for a power outage if any equipment needs electricity? Caregiver injuries are common and mostly happen during transfers in spaces too tight to work in.

Contractor vetting. License number verified on the state board's public lookup, not a photo of a card. Certificate of insurance sent directly from the insurer. Three references for accessibility work specifically, at least one over three years old. Written scope with dimensions. Who pulls the permit, in writing. Payment schedule tied to milestones, with a deposit you'd be willing to lose. And a direct question: what would you tell me not to do? A contractor who has never talked a client out of anything is not advising you.

How to choose

Do the walkthrough twice — daylight and dark

Two completely different lists come out of it. The night list is usually shorter, cheaper and more urgent.

Watch, don't ask

People describe the good version of their routine. Watching someone get into the shower or up from a low chair tells you more in thirty seconds than an hour of conversation.

Follow the handholds

Wherever the paint is worn, the towel bar is loose or the wall is smudged, that's where a hand goes. That's where the grab bar belongs — not where the catalog picture shows it.

Verify insurance with the insurer

Ask for the certificate to be sent to you by the insurance agency directly. Contractor-supplied PDFs are trivially edited and expired coverage is common.

Ask the contractor what not to do

The good ones will tell you a proposed item is a waste of money. That single answer separates advisors from order-takers faster than any reference check.

Put the emergency information somewhere obvious

Medication list, physicians, pharmacy, emergency contacts, and any DNR or advance directive — on the fridge. Paramedics look there. This costs nothing and matters enormously on the worst day.