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Aging-in-place answer

How do I prepare a home for aging in place after a parent's hospital discharge?

Short answer

Five-day plan: (1) Clear pathways and remove loose rugs. (2) Install temporary night lighting along bathroom and bedroom routes. (3) Stage a commode and shower chair if mobility is reduced. (4) Schedule a CAPS-certified contractor for a same-week assessment (flag urgency in your AgeProofPros form). (5) Begin grab bar and ramp installation while OT recommendations are still fresh. Read our full hospital-discharge guide for the detailed checklist.

More detail

Days 1-3 are about stabilization, not permanent work. The patient's mobility baseline will change during the first week of recovery, so installing a permanent grab bar at a height that turns out to be wrong by Day 14 is wasteful. Stage temporary equipment (shower chair, commode, plug-in motion nightlights, removed throw rugs) and submit the matching request with hospital-discharge flagged as urgent.

Days 4-7 are when the matched contractor's assessment is most useful — the patient's true mobility is becoming clearer and the recommendation list will reflect the real situation, not the discharge paperwork's projection. Have the contractor coordinate with the patient's OT if there is one.

Days 8-14 are when the highest-impact permanent modifications get installed: bathroom grab bars (stud-anchored), continuous stair handrails on both sides, threshold leveling, lever door handles, permanent pathway lighting. Larger work — curbless shower conversion, stair lift — is scheduled but typically takes 1-3 weeks of lead time.

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