Most older adults want to stay in their own homes, and on the Orange County coast many have lived in the same house for decades. Aging in place is very achievable, but it usually takes a few changes: to the house itself, and to the daily routine inside it. Some are as simple as moving a rug. Others need a professional.
This guide walks through a home room by room, with a particular eye on the multi-level hillside homes of Newport Coast and Laguna Beach and the older single-story houses of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. For any structural change, work with a licensed contractor, and ask your parent’s doctor about a professional home safety evaluation if balance or mobility is a concern.
Start with the paths through the house
Most trips and slips happen on ordinary routes: bedroom to bathroom at night, kitchen to living room with a cup of coffee, the front door to the sofa. Walk those routes yourself and look for:
- Throw rugs that curl or slide; remove them or secure them firmly
- Cords across walkways
- Furniture that forces a zigzag path
- Piles of mail, shoes, or baskets on the floor or stairs
- Thresholds and small steps that are easy to miss
Keeping these routes clear is ongoing work, not a one-time fix. It is one of the most useful things light housekeeping visits do.
Light every step
Eyes need more light with age, and shadows hide hazards. Brighter bulbs, night lights along the bedroom-to-bathroom route, light switches at both ends of hallways and stairs, and motion-sensor lights at the entry all help. On the coast, where many homes have large windows and deep shade, check how rooms look at dusk as well as midday.
The bathroom
The bathroom is the room most families worry about, and for good reason: wet floors, hard surfaces, and a lot of bending and turning. Common improvements include:
- Grab bars by the toilet and in the shower, installed properly into studs by a professional (towel rails are not grab bars)
- A non-slip mat inside and outside the shower
- A shower chair or bench, and a handheld shower head
- A raised toilet seat if getting up is difficult
- Toiletries moved to where they can be reached without stretching
Equipment helps, but so does a steady hand. Personal care assistance with bathing is often what makes a parent feel safe in the shower again.
Stairs and multi-level homes
Hillside homes in Newport Coast and Laguna Beach often have several levels and long interior staircases. Sturdy handrails on both sides, good lighting, and contrasting tape on the edge of each step make a real difference. Many families also rethink how the house is used: moving the main bedroom to the entry level, or setting up a comfortable daytime space so the stairs are climbed less often.
If stairs are becoming a daily struggle, talk to the doctor before it becomes a fall. Gentle exercise and mobility support can help keep strength and confidence up, alongside anything a doctor or licensed therapist recommends.
The kitchen
- Move everyday dishes, pans, and food to shelves between waist and shoulder height
- Keep a sturdy step stool with a handle, or better, avoid the need for one
- Check that stove knobs are clearly marked and easy to turn
- Clear expired food regularly
- Keep a chair in the kitchen for resting during cooking
Regular meal preparation takes the heaviest lifting and longest standing out of the kitchen.
The bedroom
A bed at the right height makes getting up easier: feet flat on the floor when sitting on the edge. A lamp and a phone within reach of the bed, a clear path to the bathroom, and a chair for dressing all help. Keep the clothes worn most often in the easiest drawers and at the front of the closet.
The entry and outdoor spaces
Steep driveways, garden steps, and uneven paving are common on the coast. Handrails at outdoor steps, good lighting at the front door, and a small table or bench by the door for setting down bags reduce strain. A key safe or a trusted neighbor with a key helps if someone needs to get in quickly.
Routine is part of the home, too
A safe house is only half the picture. Regular meals, enough water, some movement every day, and good sleep all make falls and bad days less likely. A steady daily routine and regular companionship keep the days predictable and give someone a reason to notice if anything changes.
When a parent resists changes
Home is personal, and changes to it can feel like an admission of decline. Parents who have lived in the same house for decades may push back on grab bars, moving the bedroom, or clearing out a much-loved but crowded room. Go slowly. Start with the change that makes the biggest difference and the smallest visual impact, such as night lights or moving everyday dishes to a lower shelf, and let your parent choose where things go.
It helps to frame every change as protecting what they want most: to stay at home. A grab bar is easier to accept as the thing that keeps the house theirs than as a sign of frailty.
A quick checklist
- Clear and light the main routes through the house.
- Make the bathroom safer, with professional installation of grab bars.
- Add handrails and lighting to every staircase, inside and out.
- Move everyday things to easy-reach heights.
- Set the bedroom up for safe nights.
- Build a steady daily routine and arrange regular help if needed.
- Talk to the doctor about any balance or mobility concerns.