Why seniors need to take home modifications seriously.

Hal and I are both senior citizens now!

Most Canadians want to age at home — but few are preparing their houses for it. Here’s how to change that

by Meagan Gillmore

Nancy Edwards has the most popular home among her friends — because they can easily enter and move around it if they have trouble walking or use walkers.

Edwards, a retired University of Ottawa professor, bought an accessible bungalow 15 years ago. She wanted to decrease the risk of falling as she aged.

“Many people don’t think about [fall prevention], and that’s a problem,” said Edwards, 72.

Wheelchairs and walkers fit easily through her home’s doorways and hallways. The ramp connecting her home and garage has space for walkers and wheelchairs to turn. Staircases have railings that are easy to grasp. And the bathroom has a walk-in shower with grab bars.

Edwards may have an easier time making her home fall-proof than most: she researched fall prevention for three decades. She knows home modifications can increase safety, often at little cost. 

But Edwards and building experts say more Canadian seniors need to ensure they can age safely at home.

‘Invisible fall risks’

The vast majority of seniors report wanting to age in their homes rather than in long-term care facilities. But seniors’ homes are also where they are most likely to fall — and that can be deadly. In 2021, more than 6,500 Canadians 65 and older died as a result of a fall. 

However, most seniors are not actively modifying their homes to prevent falls. A July report from Statistics Canada says only a quarter of seniors aged 65 to 79 had home modifications to facilitate living at home. That rose to 52 per cent for people over 80.

Fall prevention often focuses on individuals exercising regularly to increase strength and balance, says Edwards. All that is good. But making homes safer is more effective, she says. 

“[With] physical activity, you’ve got to make a determined effort every day to be physically active,” she said, whereas home modifications are permanent and easy to use daily. 

But seniors often struggle to identify the fall risks in their homes, says Robert Hocking, co-founder of Adaptive Living, an Ottawa-based home renovation company focused on making homes accessible. 

“There’s these invisible fall risks within the environment that are invisible because you take your environment for granted,” he said. Seniors may not recognize their area rugs or stairs may make their home a “death threat.”

Many potentially life-saving home modifications are simple and inexpensive. Hocking often nails down his clients’ area rugs to prevent falls. 

Edwards suggests people start by installing grab bars in their bathrooms and graspable railings on both sides of all stairs and steps.  

Her research has shown that people of all ages — but particularly seniors — will use grab bars. Toddlers and seniors alike can benefit from having something to help them get in and out of bathtubs or showers, she says. 

Bathroom modifications are key for preventing falls. But some people hesitate to install a walk-in shower or grab bars because they think those modifications will not look nice, says Peter Hache, co-owner of Renos4Life, an Ottawa company that specializes in modifying homes for seniors and people with disabilities.

People often think accessible homes are for people with disabilities — not them, says Edwards. “There’s a stigma associated with accessibility,” she said. 

Most of Hache’s bathroom renovations include grab fixtures. Grab fixtures are towel racks, toilet paper holders or shampoo shelves that are built to be used as a grab bar. 

“Most people don’t want a grab bar in their bathroom unless they’re told they have no option,” he said.

‘No comparison’

Some people may balk at the potential costs of home modifications. But people regularly spend more on renovations that are not intended to keep them safe, Edwards notes. She recently spent less than $150 to buy and install the latest grab bar in her shower.

“Just compare it to [the cost of] putting in a granite countertop,” she said. “There’s no comparison. And unfortunately, a granite countertop — and I have one — is not going to prevent any falls in my house.”

But those who need larger modifications, or struggle to pay for them, may have a hard time, says Hache. 

Governments in Canada offer some programs to help cover the costs of home modifications to increase accessibility. Eligible individuals can claim up to $20,000 in home accessibility projects as an expense on their income tax.

Provincially, the organization March of Dimes Canada administers funds in Ontario and Manitoba to help cover costs of home and vehicle modifications. Programs vary, but the maximum amount someone can receive in their lifetime is usually $15,000 or $16,000. People can receive more if they live in rural Manitoba.

That is not enough for larger modifications, says Mary-Kathleen Dunn, national manager of public affairs at March of Dimes Canada. The number of applications increases every year, she says. 

Aesthetic shifts

Many experts say one of the biggest barriers to home modification is the fact that they are not required in building codes. 

For example, in Ontario, 15 per cent of units in new apartment buildings are required to have doorways, hallways and bathrooms that people using wheelchairs and walkers can easily enter.

But these basic requirements do not meet all needs.

Daniels Corporation, a real estate developer that works in the Greater Toronto Area, puts additional accessibility features — including roll-in showers and additional room for wheelchairs to move around in bathrooms — in some of its units. 

“We understand that changing building codes, changing policy takes time, and we truly hope that building code and policy eventually mandates a higher standard,” said Heela Omarkhail, vice president of social impact at the company. 

“But we don’t want to wait for it, and we don’t want our industry to wait for it.” 

Edwards, who has consulted on building codes, hopes bathroom grab bars and graspable railings on outdoor stairs will one day be mandatory for new homes. 

Seatbelts are considered normal now, but many people resisted them at first, she says. “Aesthetic views can shift.”

Societal attitudes toward aging and disability can be harder to change, she says. “All of us are in a bit of denial about the fact that we’re all aging,” she said. 

But for now, she focuses on what she can change, particularly the lighting and the railing on her basement stairs.

“Even though I am living in an accessible house, there’s changes that I am making or have recently made to improve its accessibility.”