A national survey of adults 65 and older, the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging, found in February 2025 that 38 percent say cost is the main reason they have not made their home more age-friendly. The same survey found fewer than half of older adults have grab bars installed in the bathroom, and only 38 percent have a step-free entry into their home. These numbers describe a large group of households where a specific change has already been identified as useful, but the project never gets started.
Part of the problem is scale. A full bathroom remodel to add a walk-in shower can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. A grab bar, a brighter light fixture, or a secure handrail costs a small fraction of that and can matter just as much for everyday safety. Without a clear picture of which fix addresses which risk, it is easy to put off the whole project, or to spend a renovation budget on the most visible problem when a cheaper fix elsewhere in the house would do more for everyday safety.
The same poll found that among older adults without a step-free entry, only 12 percent plan to add one, compared with 36 percent who plan to add bathroom grab bars. People are already choosing cheaper, faster fixes over larger structural changes, which makes sense on its own. It only works well when the smaller fixes being chosen are the ones that matter most for that particular household. A dim stairway, a loose rug by the front door, or a shower without a grab bar can carry more day-to-day risk than an outdated kitchen, even though the kitchen is usually what shows up on a contractor’s estimate first.
A structured in-home assessment addresses this by starting with the person, not the house. A licensed physical therapist evaluates strength, balance, and mobility, then walks through the home room by room to see how those results interact with the actual layout: the stairs, the bathroom, the entry points, the lighting. The result is a written, prioritized list of what matters most, what can reasonably wait, and a general sense of cost for each item, built before any money goes to a contractor. For adult children trying to help an aging parent, that turns a vague sense that the house isn’t quite safe into a specific, ordered plan they can act on themselves or hand directly to a contractor for a bid.
Cost does not have to be carried alone, either. Area Agencies on Aging across Montana, including Rocky’s Area IV Agency on Aging serving the Helena region, can point families toward local repair assistance and other programs that sometimes help offset part of the cost of home modifications. A private assessment and public resources can work side by side. Knowing what to fix first simply makes any assistance that is available go further, and keeps a family from paying twice for the same problem.
A Home Independence Assessment includes a written action table with estimated costs for every recommended change, so the plan is clear before the first phone call to a contractor. Details on what’s included are on the Services page, or a free consult can be scheduled directly to talk through next steps for a specific home.