For older adults who hope to remain in their homes for years to come, preparing for aging does not necessarily begin with an expensive renovation. It can start with clearing a walkway, securing a rug or simply replacing a light bulb.
Families should examine their loved ones’ homes before a fall, illness or hospitalization forces them to make decisions under pressure, according to Home Instead Pasadena representatives Jean Bonnette, Client Care Coordinator, and Dr. Gregorio Sanchez Jr., Franchise Owner and
Operations Director.
Bonnette said families may not always realize how much has changed in an older relative’s daily life. She said older adults can sometimes mask difficulties, including problems understanding new medication instructions or reading small print on medication bottles as their vision changes.
For Bonnette, fall prevention is the first priority. She recommends looking for loose carpets, changes in floor elevation and other features that may become more difficult to navigate with age. Bathroom towel racks, she noted, should not be treated as substitutes for properly installed handrails or grab bars. Sanchez also said getting into a bathtub can become more difficult with age and encouraged families to consider bathroom modifications before they become urgently necessary.
Sanchez said clutter can also become an increasingly serious concern as people grow older.
“One of the easiest things that we can encourage people of my parents’ age is let’s start going ahead and just do some basic decluttering,” Sanchez said.
The goal is to create clear routes to frequently used areas, including bathrooms, kitchens and living rooms. Throw rugs should be secured or removed, Sanchez said, while bathrooms should be evaluated for how easily a resident can enter and exit a bathtub and get on and off a toilet.
Lighting is another relatively simple consideration. Sanchez recalled noticing burned-out lights at his grandmother’s home and said inadequate outdoor illumination can make steps particularly hazardous. Bonnette said even relatively minor changes can help, pointing to a two-step tub-access device with places to hold on both sides and appropriate exterior lighting as examples that may not require a major immediate investment.
Technology can provide another layer of protection. Bonnette suggested wearable alert systems for older adults living independently, while Sanchez pointed to smartwatches and monitoring systems as tools that can offer reassurance to family members who live far away.
But both said the most important preparation may be starting the conversation early.
Families often wait until an emergency to discuss assistance, Bonnette said, when decisions become more difficult. Sanchez suggested reframing help at home not as surrendering independence but as a way of preserving it.
“Help at home helps you stay independent because you’ve acknowledged the fact that you need that support in order to stay at home safely,” Sanchez said.
Bonnette also encouraged families to discuss who should hold power of attorney for health care before an accident or illness creates an urgent need for decisions. Documenting those wishes ahead of time, she said, can help prevent relatives from having to determine what a loved one wanted while they are grieving or upset.
Sanchez similarly encouraged families — including siblings or chosen family — to sit down together and discuss a loved one’s wishes in advance. He recalled a friend whose mother had cancer and whose family planned to discuss her medical and final wishes on a Thursday. She died the preceding Tuesday.
“You just never know,” Sanchez said.
Planning ahead, they said, gives older adults and their families time to consider changes gradually — before circumstances make those choices urgent.
Home Instead Pasadena provides in-home care and support for older adults and families, with an emphasis on helping older adults remain safely and independently at home. For more information, call Jean Bonnette at (626) 486-0800 or visit homeinstead.com.
