My mom is the model boomer. At 77 years old, she runs her interior design business, organizes a book club, plays pickleball and dominates in mahjong. She is the picture of health; good luck matching the pace on her 5 mile walks. As is the trend for her generation, mom and her 83-year-old husband have chosen to continue living right where they are at home.
Circumstances led her to make age-in-place plans well ahead of her peers. When my dad died unexpectedly 22 years ago, my mom found herself widowed at 55 and living alone in a two-story, four-bedroom home. Mom wanted to remain in her community, so she downsized into a smart townhouse with a first-floor bedroom and bath, and nearby shops.
According to a February Pew Research Survey, 93% of older adults in the US (65+) say they currently live in their own home or apartment and that they’d prefer to age in place there. How attainable is that for the boomer generation?
The reality of living independently hinges on a number of factors. Even if in good health now, people 65 and older have a 69% chance of needing some type of care and support as they age. Is the home adapted for safety, particularly mobility issues and fall reduction? Could living independently make one more vulnerable to loneliness?
It’s impossible to predict the future, but here are some of the factors to consider when deciding whether you or a loved one will continue to live at home.
What does ageing in place mean to you?
Everyone has different needs and resources; these might include proximity to family and friends, access to shops or services and varying budgets. In order to help clients plan, Kate Granigan, a geriatric social worker and CEO at Alder, a life care management practice in Boston, created a talk titled Should I Stay or Should I Go? (a nod to the Clash, also boomers). Some things she encourages them to consider: Will you remain in your current home and modify it? Is it time to downsize and move? If so, what are the options for independent and community-modeled living?
“We talk about their choices as they age, their options, and share all of the ins and outs of that. There’s a lot of nuances,” Granigan says.
Whatever housing decision is right for you, Granigan notes that it should be part of pulling together a larger set of directives, including a healthcare proxy, power of attorney, financial and estate affairs. Designate your care and support team – adult children, a partner, a friend – and bring them into the conversation now.
“You want to make sure that those things are lined up, articulated early, and reviewed often,” Granigan says. “This is about letting your wishes be known, because then people can follow through.”
What will your health and support needs be?
The choice to stay or go “really depends on your state of health and the available support that you have, whether you have a spouse or children living nearby”, says Francisco Lasta, a Chicago-based occupational therapist and inclusive design lead at GFT, an architecture, engineering and construction firm. “Are you going to be able to go to the grocery store independently without having somebody assist you significantly? Or do you have a chronic condition that might really limit your ability to interact with your environment?”
Think about how to meet practical needs and social-emotional needs. Older adults are at increased risk of social isolation and loneliness, which have been linked to a number of health concerns, including dementia, depression, heart disease and stroke. Safety within the home is also important, as is access to external locations like the grocery store, pharmacy, hair salon or place of worship.
Nursing or skilled care might be required. Factor in temporary home health aid after surgery or brief illness, as well as longer-term round-the-clock skilled nursing care should mobility or cognitive shifts occur. According to a 2025 survey by CareScout, a care provider network, non-medical home services average $35 an hour or $80,000 annually in the US. Skilled nursing or private nursing is about $90 per hour – nearly $206,000 annually.
“That is actually a place where a lot of people hit a tipping point of having to leave, not just by choice, but by funding issues,” Granigan says.
Granigan advises clients to have other housing options on their radar, since health, finances and housing wishes can shift. She also recommends discussing plans earlier than you think. That way, you and your family can make an informed choice instead of having to react quickly in a crisis.
What modifications will your home need?
Take a top-to-bottom review of your home. “Make sure that whenever you’re moving around your home, you’re safe the entire time,” Lasta advises.
When assessing safety, number one on Lasta’s checklist is no stairs or barriers between rooms, to allow access for a wheelchair or walker. Stairs can be modified with a ramp or stair lift, but ideally, all rooms would be located on one floor. Additionally, plan for wheelchair or walker access when considering the width of doorframes, walk-in (no tub or curb) shower stalls and countertop access in a kitchen.
Lasta encourages people to think about whether your environment would still suit you if your body or mobility changes: “Would I still be able to get things from the kitchen cabinet? Would I still be able to take a shower by myself?”
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Falls are the leading cause of injury for those 65 or older. Task lighting and non-skid flooring can make spaces safer. And if budget and space allow, an additional room can be remodeled to accommodate a caregiver if needed.
No matter the job, tap a professional. Modifications can range from a simple addition of grab bars in the shower or lighting improvements to costlier updates such as bathroom renovation or installing a motorized stair lift. Work with a certified-ageing-in-place specialist with credentials through the National Association of Home Builders program or the University of Southern California, advises Emily Nabors, the associate director of innovation at the Center for Healthy Aging at the National Council on Aging.
Is a renovation right for you?
“A lot of people have this vision of the home they’re in currently being the forever home,” Granigan says. But you may not want to adapt your home; alternatively, your home may not be appropriate for the adjustments you need. Say you own a home with beautiful period-specific features. “One of the first things we want to talk about is if that home is adapted – if we have to install grab bars, and expand a bathroom or a bedroom on the first floor for access, and widen doorways for mobility issues – is it still going to be the home you love?” says Granigan. If not, moving may be a better option.
If you rent, many basic accessibility accommodations are protected under the Fair Housing Act, including requests to install a handrail or ramp, permission for a service animal or an accessible parking space (if available).
How much will renovations cost?
Citing a report by Fixr, a home-improvement platform, Nabors shared that costs range from $3,000 to $15,000 (the national average is $9,500) to adapt a home for age-in-place needs that may include lighting, grab bar installation, widening hallways or installing comfortable-height toilets. If major renovations are required in the kitchen (average $50,000), bathroom ($25,000), bedroom ($12,000) or to stairs ($45,000), it starts to add up.
“There are safety net programs to help offset modification costs,” says Nabors. She recommends state ageing agencies and nonprofits like Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity.
What relocation options are there?
If kicking up renovation dust is not for you, other housing options are available. Lasta noted the rise in “granny pods” or accessory dwelling units (ADUs), small units that can be built on existing property (average cost $180,000). Community-based models, including the Village to Village Network, enable people to remain in their homes and establish local support networks within their larger community. Senior Cohousing is a senior community that blends independent housing and shared social spaces, and the shared housing model matches seniors with open rooms in homes.
Continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) offer access to various levels of care as needed. For instance, you could start in an independent living apartment, then move to assisted living. These include dining and social spaces and planned activities, as well as nursing care. The costs are higher (initial buy-in $402,000).
