Finding Solutions for Living at Home in Your Golden Years
The creak of a familiar staircase, the family photographs lining the hallway, the garden that’s been tended for decades — these are the comforts that make a house feel like home.
For many older adults, leaving that sense of belonging behind for a retirement community, assisted-living facility or nursing home feels unthinkable. Instead, more people are adapting their homes so they can stay where they are, a concept widely known as “aging in place.”
Mary Lynch, founder and chair of the Greater Baltimore Chapter of the National Aging in Place Council, has watched this movement gain momentum as Americans live longer.
“Every day, an average of 10,000 people are turning 65, and our housing just isn’t ready for it,” she said.
Only about 10 percent of homes nationally are age-in-place ready, she added, with Maryland closer to 6 percent, a shortage of accessible housing that will only grow as the population ages.
For Lynch, planning ahead is critical. “Not every house can be modified,” she explained. “My grandfather’s old rowhouse had two full flights of stairs. There was just no way to make that safe. Ideally, families should think about this once the kids leave home. Do you want to modify your house, move to a condo, or explore other communities? If you plan early, you give yourself choices.”
Some of the most common modifications are simple but life-changing. Dena Goldsmith, co-owner of Home Safe Home in Baltimore and a certified aging in place specialist, said the first priority is making bedrooms, bathrooms and entryways safe.
Lynch noted that ramps can be an important part of that equation. She said they are often best placed in a garage, where they don’t signal to the neighborhood that someone has mobility issues.
Bathrooms are another hotspot for hazards. Dena’s husband and co-owner, physical therapist Yankie Goldsmith, sees this every day.
“The bathroom is the No. 1 place for falls,” he said. “We do a lot of tub-to-shower conversions so people don’t have to climb over a high edge. Grab bars, comfort-height toilets and railings on stairs — these changes cost a fraction of one month in assisted living and can give people years more in their homes.”
Sometimes modifications are more extensive. “We also do full bathroom renovations, widening doorways, or installing stair lifts,” Dena Goldsmith said. “People think they’ll have to move if they live in a two-story house, but that’s not necessarily true. Stair lifts make it possible to keep using upstairs bedrooms safely.”
According to Lynch, hazards extend far beyond bathrooms. “Throw rugs will kill you,” she said. “So will pets underfoot, poor lighting, or even a cracked sidewalk on the way to the mailbox. In hot weather, I worry about my older neighbors just bringing in their trash cans. People underestimate how everyday routines can become dangerous.”
Technology is helping fill some of those gaps. Lynch pointed to new tools ranging from shoe inserts that can track a loved one who wanders to smart refrigerators that detect unusual routines and wearable devices that can call for help.
“These tools don’t replace common sense, but they give families peace of mind,” she said.
Mary Singer, board secretary of the Greater Baltimore Chapter of the National Aging in Place Council and an owner and operator of Silver Lining Aging Solutions, said voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa are increasingly useful for people with vision loss or memory challenges. She added that smart-home devices such as fall-detection light bulbs also support safety.
For many families, the deciding factor is financial. Singer explained that six to eight hours of in-home care costs about the same as assisted living, while 24-hour home care can reach $18,000 to $26,000 a month depending on the level of care needed. Those are levels she said are unsustainable for most families.
Still, home modifications often make financial sense. “One stair lift might cost $4,000. That’s less than a single month of assisted living,” Yankie Goldsmith said. “Even if you need to hire a caregiver a few times a week, you’re still saving money. The key is to do these things before an accident happens.”
There are programs to help offset costs. Singer pointed to tax credits, county subsidies, and nonprofit assistance as ways families can manage expenses, noting that Baltimore County has some of the strongest resources in the state.
Modifications alone don’t guarantee success, Singer said. “You need community — friends, activities, people to check in. Otherwise, you end up lonely and unsafe.”
For Lynch, successful aging in place isn’t just about ramps and railings; it’s about relationships. She emphasized the importance of social wellness, encouraging older adults to stay engaged through activities such as virtual groups, gardening, or volunteering.
“Communities that support each other make all the difference,” she said.
Transportation is another challenge once driving is no longer safe. Singer said it is often one of the hardest issues families face, but options exist, ranging from county ride programs to private drivers, many at low cost if arranged in advance.
Both the Goldsmiths and the National Aging in Place Council leaders see momentum building.
“This isn’t new — we’ve been doing it for decades — but the awareness is finally catching up,” Lynch said. She noted that designers are now making safety features such as grab bars more stylish, and that the number of professionals in the field has doubled in just the past year.
Singer predicted that baby boomers will drive rapid innovation in aging-in-place technology, from fall detection to home automation. “It’s actually a very exciting time to be aging,” she said.
For families, the message is simple: start the conversation early. “Don’t wait until after a fall,” Dena Goldsmith said. “Be proactive. Small changes can prevent life-changing injuries.”
