How Product Manufacturers Can Design for Aging in Place
By John Peavey, PE
Published Monday, August 25, 2025
Aging in Place refers to the ability of older adults to remain in their own homes and communities as they grow older, rather than relocating to assisted living or institutional care settings. This practice emphasizes independence, dignity, comfort, familiar routines, connections, and surroundings that increase the quality of life.
As the U.S. population ages—by the year 2040, it is estimated that over 80 million adults will be age 65 and older—there will be a growing need for more long-term care solutions. Many seniors express a strong preference to stay in their homes, and with appropriate support, such as home modifications, accessible transportation, in-home healthcare, and social engagement within a familiar community, creating an opportunity for product developers and manufacturers to create solutions supporting aging in place.
Aging in place can reduce the financial strain on Medicaid and Medicare programs by delaying or avoiding more intensive institutional care. Additionally, for many families, it can foster and support intergenerational living; however, success requires proactive planning within the family household and at the government policy level, including guidance to make existing homes more accessible through remodeling of the entryway, kitchen, bathroom, and select bedrooms.
To facilitate aging in place, communities would benefit from new houses being built with universal design features and attributes. The term universal design was coined by Ron Mace, an architect, product designer, and wheelchair user who founded the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University. Mace championed the idea that all built environments should be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. Unlike accessibility features that are added on to meet minimum requirements of those with disabilities, universal design principles aim to integrate “usability features” seamlessly from the original design of the house—benefiting people of all ages and abilities.
Universal design features include no-step entrances, wider doorways and hallways, lever-style door handles, and bathrooms with walk-in showers and reinforced walls for future grab-bar installation. In the kitchen, design attributes include lowering countertops, improved lighting, non-slip flooring, and smart home technology that supports ease of use. These adaptations not only accommodate aging residents or individuals with disabilities, but also improve overall usability for families, children, and visitors. By embedding universal design into housing strategies, builders and homeowners can create flexible, future-proof environments that support aging in place and lifelong livability. Some certification programs, like NGBS Green +UNIVERSAL DESIGN, also recognize these design attributes in homes.
Home Innovation has studied universal design and accessibility extensively, particularly in residential buildings. Our research has focused on evaluating home modifications, assistive technologies, and construction practices that support aging in place and usability for all. We have conducted field studies, product assessments, and policy analyses for HUD and other federal agencies, emphasizing practical, cost-effective solutions for builders and homeowners.
In 2024, we published Retrofits & Adaptations: Improving Mobility in the Home, a study focused on accessibility retrofits for townhomes and row houses. Several newer technologies were evaluated by a group of stakeholders that included adaptive device users, caregivers, and professionals such as physical and occupational therapists. From this group, we gained direct feedback and insight on specific devices, as well as an understanding of end-user priorities. A central finding is that while many innovative assistive devices exist, their adoption is limited by high costs, lack of domestic availability, and minimal public awareness.
To address these barriers, the report urges HUD and related agencies to expand funding programs and increase the financial limits on home modification grants and loans. This would make it easier for lower-income homeowners to age in place. The study also calls for the development of standardized evaluation protocols to assess the effectiveness, safety, and usability of assistive products, which could encourage broader use and consumer confidence. A key market recommendation is to incentivize domestic manufacturing and supply chains for accessibility products, many of which are currently available only in Europe or Canada. Finally, the report highlights the need for improved consumer guidance tools to help families compare the costs and benefits of retrofitting a home versus relocating. Together, these recommendations aim to make aging in place more feasible, equitable, and scalable.
As society adapts to demographic shifts, aging in place offers a promising framework to help older adults maintain quality of life while addressing broader challenges in housing, healthcare, and social services. As demand increases and financial incentives are considered, product manufacturers will need to provide solutions that are cost-effective and easily adoptable by end users. If you have a new product or technology, let us put it to the test and get feedback from your target markets! Contact us for product development research and testing.