Validated Scoring System Quantifies Home Accessibility as Care Shifts Home
Salisbury, N.C. – September 05, 2026 -- Fewer than 4 percent of U.S. homes offer basic accessibility features such as a no-step entry, single-floor living, and wide halls and doorways, according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, even as clinical care increasingly moves into private residences. Home for Life Design has published research-backed evidence for its Accessibility Ratings, a standardized scoring system designed to measure whether a home supports safe, independent living.
Aging population and fall risk drive demand for home-based care infrastructure
The U.S. Census Bureau projects the population aged 65 and older will reach approximately 73 million by 2030. The CDC reports that one in four adults over 65 falls annually. Hospital-at-home programs, value-based payment models, and Medicaid home- and community-based services are pushing clinical care into living rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens not built or measured for it.