Have you (and/or your loved one) made any modifications to the home for aging or safety?

If anything is being installed into walls please pls PLEASE make sure that “blocking” is actually in place behind that Sheetrock! If you are not sure then get whatever items that are being installed to be the width of the framing used in your home.

I helped a friend years ago make her rented apt bathroom safer for her. At the time I worked for visiting nurses and was in charge of the durable equipment shed. We got donations all the time so overrun with commodes.

I went to the $1 store and found soap and cup/tooth brush holders with suction cups on the back. These I put on the wall at the level she would be sitting down. The cup holder held her shampoo and where the toothbrushes would have gone held her shaver. I got her a handheld shower head with an extra long hose. So the handle was on her level, I improvised and found 2 3D hooks each about 3/4 to an inch wide. I put them up side by side and the handle fit there perfectly. When she left the apt, everything could be taken down without damaging the apt.

I got her a shower chair and commode from the shed. The commode can be put over a toilet. This gives the person sides they can use to pull themselves up and stability because of the legs that can be adjusted. You take off the bar in the back and slide the commode over the toilet. You can take the toilet lid and seat off because the commode comes with its own. I just pushed them up. New commodes come with a bucket and a splashguard, you will use the splashguard. You make sure the bottom of it is in the toilet a couple of inches.

There are handle bars that are suction. These only work on really smooth surfaces. I had one in my bathroom and a man could not get it off the shower wall.

If the person owns their home, no problem with making changes but if renting you have to improvise.

Forgot to add: in terms of "how to get it done" financially, we had a couple of resources that helped with procuring many of the products.

First, my FIL was a vet using the VA healthcare system, and received many items from them (shower chair, fall monitor pendant, medication vault, gait belt, support socks & shoes, etc). Second, both in-laws were on Medicare Advantage plans that had OTC allowances as high as $100 per quarter, which we could use for several things like showerhead, toilet frame, stand assist, etc. The rest, we just got from Amazon or Walmart.

Figure out what you can source from any insurance or benefits you have or can receive first.

Use the "Freebie Alerts" app (which pulls all free listings near you from multiple sources including Nextdoor and FBM) to look for items on your list -- family members are constantly posting free aging-at-home items when they're no longer in use.

Look on Facebook marketplace, Nextdoor, etc., for used items for sale (vs. free) - the lift chair was a big one for us, got exactly what we needed in the style and size (and even color!) for much less, and paid them an extra $50 to deliver it.

This doesn't cover anything like actual construction or moving to another place. For us, we researched retrofitting their split-level home with stairlifts or an elevator, but it just wasn't a safe enough environment with tons of little 1-2-3 steps in multiple places and a lot of fall hazards. Luckily they'd paid off their mortgage a few years back and the home value was enough for the move -- made a quick cash offer as soon as a place where they wanted went on the market using a short-term HELOC, then after the move, did their home cleanout, put the house up for sale, and paid off the HELOC.

Key modifications for my in-laws included:
- Moving from split- to single-level townhome in 55+ community
- Clearing a ton of clutter, ditching ottomans, keeping all walkways and surfaces clear
- Increasing lighting including motion-sensor light strips below the bed, along the bottom of the hallway wall, and in closets, and nightlights in BA and kitchen
- Toilet safety frames ($50+ on Amazon)
- Shower support bars with reinforced walls
- Bidet toilet attachment ($40+ on Amazon)
- Nonslip strips on tub floor
- Remove all loose floor mats, only a few secured ones where needed
- Lift recliner (got used one for $150 on FB marketplace)
- Swapped out round doorknobs for levers for all interior doors
- Switch to locked/timed medication dispensers
- Stand assist aid/frame for a non-lift recliner
- Shower chair
- Handheld showerhead with a second hanging hook at chair height
- Comfort height toilets
- Bed safety rails
- Jar opener tool

In an extraordinarily useful case of serendipity, I landed a few copywriting clients who needed content about aging at home at the same time we began caring for my in-laws. A couple of my articles that may be of use to you:

Ensuring Home Safety for Seniors, at:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xOgpOpnqUR2RB6kcYHWfHX6a67yXV9sYAL_9erksTUo/edit?usp=sharing

22 Aging In Place Home Modifications You Need, at:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V1YUsjHD3zP_XxmJ5LkNtNUy91vqVAbjZIx49Lc2meM/edit?usp=sharing

One of my favorite resources when I did the research for these was a 51-part blog series that goes into detail with specific recommendations room by room. All of the sections are only linked at the bottom of the last post, so here's the link to the final blog, and you can scroll down to click on all the links (shown below in text) to the full series:
https://www.ellastewartcare.com/blog/aging-in-place-by-room-part-51-laundry-sinks-lighting-flooring
Part 1 - Introduction
Part 2 - Exterior
Part 3 - Landscaping & Gardens
Part 4 - Patio, Porch, & Deck
Part 5 - Garage & Carports
Part 6 - Entrances, Exits, & Thresholds
Part 7 - Exterior Steps & Ramps
Part 8 - Threshold Lighting & Windows
Part 9 - Interior Doors & Halls
Part 10 - Interior Steps & Staircases
Part 11 - Interior Stairlifts
Part 12 - Interior Elevators
Part 13 - Interior Lighting
Part 14 - General Interior Flooring
Part 15 - Interior Flooring Comparisons
Part 16 - HVAC & Energy Efficiency
Part 17 - Power, Communications, & Other Interior Systems
Part 18 - Living Room
Part 19 - Kitchen Layout, HVAC, & Electrical Systems
Part 20 - Kitchen Lighting, Flooring, and Sink Faucets
Part 21 - Kitchen Countertops & Cabinets
Part 22 - Kitchen Refrigerators, Freezers, and Dishwashers
Part 23 - Kitchen Ovens, Ranges, Stovetops, and Cooktops
Part 24 - Kitchen Microwaves, Blenders, & Food Processors
Part 25 - Miscellaneous Kitchen Items
Part 26 - Dining Room Layout, Tables, & Other Furniture
Part 27 - Dining Room Flooring, Lighting, & Meal Serving Equipment
Part 28 - Bedroom Layout & Closets
Part 29 - Accessible Beds 
Part 30 - Bedroom Furniture, Electronics, & Other Accessories
Part 31 - Bedroom Flooring
​Part 32 - Bedroom Lighting
Part 33 - Bathroom General Layout
Part 34 - Bathroom General Tips for Showers & Tubs
Part 35 - Bathroom Accessible Tubs
Part 36 - Bathroom Accessible Showers
Part 37 - Bathroom Accessible Toilets
Part 38 - Bathroom Sinks & Vanities
Part 39 - Bathroom Cabinets & Shelving
Part 40 - Bathroom Grab Bars
Part 41 - Bathroom Flooring
Part 42 - Bathroom Lighting
Part 43 - Bathroom Ableware - Toilet Aids & General Accessibility
Part 44 - Bathroom Ableware - Shower, Bathing, & Grooming Aids
Part 45 - Laundry Room Location, Layout, & Spacing
Part 46 - Laundry Room Carts, Rolling Hampers, & Chutes
Part 47 - Laundry Room Dumbwaiters
​Part 48 - Laundry Appliances (Washers & Dryers)
Part 49 - Laundry Room Cabinets, Shelving, & Countertops
Part 50 - Laundry Room Storage & Organization
Part 51 - Laundry Sinks, Lighting

My mom's county had a set amount donated for the first so many people that signed up to have their homes modified for safety with some other upgrades. Mom applied and was accepted. They placed a lien on her home for so many years so no one could sell the home immediately and benefit. We received a notice in the mail that the lien had been taken off and she owed nothing since she did not sell her home in that period of time. They put in a roll in shower, tested the wiring, put in a new HVAC, roof, flooring, appliances and counter tops as well as grab bar at the toilet along with new toilets. It made her life a lot safer until she was unable to live alone.

Mack, I would encourage you to ask your doctor, or whomever needs the modifications doctor, for an Occupational Therapist referral. This is who can guide you on what needs to be done for safety and mobility.

Sorry, forgot to address that earlier.

Mac, do a Google search for home modification contractors or ADA contractors.

Interview and get quotes with all they will be doing and for how much. Make sure you are given a time frame for start date and completion date, get 3 quotes, 1 will be the best price. Don't give them any money until materials arrive or just a small deposit if they insist. Do not pay them 100% until the job is 100% complete, this is your only leverage to ensure they show up and finish.

You want to get a certificate of insurance from their insurance company that names you as additional insured, send this and any contract you are going to sign to your insurance agent and ask them to ensure that you have coverage in the event there is a problem. This is a service they provide or your actual insurance company will do it, it helps them avoid having to pay in the event of a loss.

You want to go to your states Registrar of contractors website and review the companies license record, you don't want to use a company with complaints, you'll be the next one if you do. This is easy information to find and protects you as the consumer from using a shifty company.

Be sure and clarify that the company you are hiring will actually be doing all the work. You don't want them tearing something up to do their work and find out you have to hire someone else to make your house whole.

Hopefully that helps you get started, if you have any specific questions I am happy to hear them and see if I can help.

The construction industry has turned into a buyer beware industry, to all our detriment, being proactive with these items can stop a lot of problems before they start. Any company that has a problem with these, run from!

I'm just so lost doing it on my own.. I'm wondering how people find builders or designers who can advise you on what modifications you need and how to do it affordably and correctly

I had a friend's husband build us an S shaped ramp, it's not necessarily up to government standards but totally adequate and still in good shape over 10 years later.
I also renovated the main bathroom to be wheelchair accessible: we widened the door, replaced the vanity with a pedestal sink and tower, and replaced the tub with one of those full sized shower and walls kits available from the local hardware store. Oh, and grab bars too. Since I didn't know any builders I used the store's installation service and the work was well done. Everyone talks about how expensive bathroom renos are but all the tile and expensive fixtures are just not necessary.