A Boot, Some Stairs, and a New Perspective

Over the summer, I fractured a bone in my foot and ended up in an orthopedic boot with strict orders: no weight-bearing. When I arrived home, I was hit with a series of obstacles, literally. The first thing I saw was the front steps to my house. Then, more stairs to reach the floor with a bathroom. Then, another flight to get to my bedroom. So many stairs.

It was overwhelming.

I wasn’t used to the crutches yet, so I ended up sitting down and sliding up each stair tread, one by one. It was comical, but sad. By the time I got to my bedroom, I was exhausted. I stayed in my bedroom for nearly a week.

But I was lucky. Family was there to help me. They made me meals, cared for our dogs, and kept me company. Even work wasn’t interrupted too much, thanks to Zoom (albeit Zoom from my bed). But needing that much help, just to meet my daily needs, left me with a sobering realization: how hard would this be if I lived alone? What happens when your body can no longer navigate the home you’ve lived in for decades?

I’ve never loved the often-used phrase “age in place.”. It suggests staying in the same house, even when that house may no longer serve you. A home that once worked beautifully for raising a family may become a burden over time, with all its stairs, extra rooms, and maintenance.

Instead,I prefer: aging in community.

Rather than focusing solely on keeping people in their longtime homes, let's consider the freedom of housing choice in the communities they already belong to. That means a mix of housing options such as affordable condos, walkable apartments, service-enriched homes, cottage clusters, and shared-housing models. These options support people who want to stay near the places, relationships, and routines that make life meaningful.

As a planner, I’ve been in countless public meetings with municipal officials and residents. It makes sense. Homes carry deep emotional weight filled with memories and stability. For many people aging in place feels right.

Others are ready for something that fits their lifestyle or physical needs better and they should have options too.

For those who would prefer to move, a public policy consideration is to ensure they have the freedom to do so without having to leave their community. These options also benefit the broader community by opening opportunities for households at different life stages, supporting intergenerational connections, and strengthening neighborhood continuity. 

We don’t need to prescribe a single path. We canexpand what is possible.Itt is critical to recognize that the types of housing we make available (whether that is for downsizing, shared living, or starting fresh) must also reflect the full range of abilities and needs in a community. 

Accessibility is not just about aging. It is about inclusion. 

When we talk about accessible housing, we need to think more broadly than mobility. Accessibility should also meet the needs of people with visual, hearing, cognitive, and intellectual disabilities. Homes designed to support a range of physical and sensory needs or that can be easily adapted are better for individuals and families at every stage of life.

The need for accessible homes is real. According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, fewer than four percent of homes in the U.S. include basic accessibility features such as single-floor living, no-step entries, and wider hallways and doorways. That is a huge gap, not just for older adults, but for the more than one in four Americans who live with some form of disability.

In addition to building more accessible homes, we also need to support models like shared housing. These arrangements, where two or more unrelated people live together by choice, can offer connection, companionship, and mutual support. They can also be a smart housing option for people who want to remain in their communities without the burden of maintaining a larger home alone. The National Shared Housing Resource Center offers a helpful directory of programs across the country and guidance for starting new ones.

In the past decade, my team and I have prepared close to 100 housing plans and studies, from the second largest city in New England, Worcester, to one of the smallest towns, Truro. And no matter the size of the community, we regularly recommend zoning policy changes that support more housing diversity and access.

Time and again, when we show communities how their populations are aging and compare that to the limited housing choices available, the immediate reaction is: “We need senior housing.”

An understandable reaction. But too narrow, to meet the range of needs we see across a community.

Many communities find value in broadening the conversation from senior housing to housing that works for everyone, including older adults. Communities that choose to allow for gentle density (think starter homes, duplexes, cottage clusters, and smaller multifamily homes) may open the door to more inclusive options for aging. It means incentivizing additional accessible homes or units designed to be convertible. And it means creating neighborhoods where walking, biking, and public transit are real options.

There are also other planning strategies that communities can consider:

• Adopt local visitability standards and require a percentage of units to be visitable or easily modifiable. This ensures new homes include basic accessibility features like a no-step entry, a ground-floor bathroom, and wider doorways, making them more usable for people of all ages and abilities.

• Offer density bonuses or streamlined approvals for developers who go beyond state and federal requirements and include accessible features in both market-rate and affordable housing.

• Offer support for home modifications, including through financial assistance programs and partnerships with state or nonprofit grant providers.

• Promote accessory dwelling units (ADUs), especially detached or ground-floor options that can provide accessible living spaces for older adults and others with mobility challenges.

• Encourage adaptive reuse of existing buildings such as schools, mills, and office buildings into accessible housing. These projects can include elevators and lend themselves to barrier-free design.

• Require or incentivize a percentage of units in multifamily developments to be visitable or easily modifiable, going beyond state and federal minimums to meet local needs.

Massachusetts stands out for its innovative tools like Housing Navigator MA, which offers a statewide affordable housing search with filters for accessibility, and MyMassHome, which helps connect buyers to accessible homeownership options. These platforms reflect a broader commitment to equity and transparency in housing, and they offer models that other states might look to.

Now that we’re in our mid-50s, my husband and I have begun dreaming about our own next chapter. With our children now in college, the house we raised them in might not be our home a decade from now. But we want options that keep us connected to a community, to friends, to the familiar places we love.

If communities can adopt policies that encourage variety, accessibility, and sharing, we’ll give more people that same possibility.

At JM Goldson, we help communities think through these challenges. (And we love it!) Whether it is through crafting policy recommendations, shaping zoning strategies, or facilitating honest and inclusive conversations, our goal is always the same: to help communities grow in ways that support connection, choice, and dignity for everyone at every stage of life.

If your community is beginning to ask these questions, we’d love to be part of the conversation.