Across Canada, two big trends are reshaping how families think about housing. The population is getting older, with about one in five Canadians now 65 or over, and that share is still rising. At the same time, many people in midlife want to stay in their own homes as long as they can. Multigenerational living is also growing fast, with millions already sharing a roof with parents, grandparents, or adult children as high housing costs and limited supply push people together. These shifts mean more buyers who are caring for old age parents are thinking about a home that will keep everyone safe, comfortable, and supported over time.
Why Aging Makes the Typical Home More Challenging
If you have watched a parent pause at the top of the stairs, grip the railing a little tighter, or avoid the bathtub, you have already seen how a familiar home can start to feel less friendly with age, especially when you are thinking about aging parents and elder care. Most houses were built for younger, more mobile bodies, so even simple features can slowly turn into obstacles.
Here are a few of the big changes that matter at home:
Mobility and Balance
Stairs, narrow hallways, high tubs, and small step-ups at doorways all become harder to manage and easier to trip on.
Strength and Flexibility
Low toilets, heavy doors, stiff taps, and cupboards that are too high or too low can make everyday tasks tiring or even unsafe.
Vision and Hearing
Dim lighting, glare from shiny floors, hard-to-see steps, and alarms that are too quiet make it easier to miss hazards and harder to react in time.
Memory and Thinking
Confusing layouts, too many levels, similar-looking doors, and cluttered spaces can increase stress, disorientation, and the risk of falls. Falls are a major cause of injury for older adults in Canada, and many of those falls happen at home.
The home you choose today can either support your parents’ independence and safety or make daily life more difficult as they age, especially when you are focused on caring for old age parents.
What to Look for When Buying a Home That Is Senior-Friendly
When you look at houses, try to picture your parent doing everyday things there, like getting in the door, using the bathroom, and moving from room to room. A home that works for them now and can adjust as their needs change will make life easier for everyone and is an important part of aging parents and elder care.
Location
Choose an area where health care, pharmacies, and basic services are close and easy to reach. Good transit, or senior transit options, matter if driving becomes harder. Walkable streets, safe crossings, and nearby community or seniors’ centres help your parent stay active and connected.
Overall House Type and Layout
Bungalows or homes with a real bedroom, full bathroom, kitchen, laundry, and main living area on the main floor are usually easiest when you are caring for old age parents. Count the steps to the front door and look at how steep or narrow the stairs are inside. Wider hallways and doorways, and a layout that allows your parent to live mostly on one level, will pay off later.
Entry, Parking and Exterior
Look for an entrance with a low step that you can make step-free. A small covered area helps keep rain and ice off the landing. Bright lighting at doors and along paths makes evenings safer. A practical driveway and wide, fairly level walkways make drop-offs, walkers, and wheelchairs much easier to handle.
Bathrooms
Try to have a full bathroom on the same floor as your parents’ bedroom. A walk-in or low-threshold shower with room for a bench is safer than a high tub, and solid wall areas near the toilet and shower make it easy to add grab bars later. A bit of extra floor space helps with walkers and with someone stepping in to assist.
Bedrooms and Shared Living Spaces
Aim for a comfortable bedroom for your parent close to a bathroom, ideally on the main floor. Some separation from the loudest parts of the house helps everyone rest better. Rooms that can change roles over time, like a den that could become a bedroom, add flexibility.
Flooring, Lighting and Everyday Safety
Smooth, non-slip flooring with few thresholds is safer than thick carpet or shiny, slick surfaces. Good lighting in halls, stairs, bathrooms, and kitchens reduces trips and falls, and you can add small night lights later. Sturdy stair railings and easy-to-use lever handles on doors and taps give older hands extra support.
Potential for a Secondary Suite or Separate Unit
Spaces that can function as a small suite, such as a finished basement with its own entrance, or a room over a garage, are very helpful. They let parents live nearby while keeping some privacy. Later, the same space can work for a caregiver, an adult child, or a renter.
Technology and Caregiving Support
Pick a home with reliable internet and cell service so you can use video calls, smart doorbells, sensors, and other tools if you want them. Easy access for home care workers, cleaners, or meal delivery also matters. Even if you do not need this support now, it is useful to know the house can handle it later.
Budget, Planning and Family Conversations
Be realistic about costs for care, transportation, and future changes to the home, especially when you think about aging parents and elder care. Take time to learn about tax credits and programs that can help with accessibility and multigenerational setups in your province. Talk early about privacy, money, and caregiving so everyone understands how living together will work.
Buying a home with aging parents in mind is a big decision, and you do not have to sort through it on your own. A REMAX agent can help you spot homes that work for today and can be adapted for tomorrow, from safer layouts to potential in-law suites. Connect with your local REMAX office to talk through your family’s needs and start finding a place that fits every generation.
