The US Census says that 78.5% of seniors over the age of 75 were homeowners in the second quarter of 2009. We would bet our bottom dollar that most of these homeowners, and all their younger counterparts, have every intention of "aging in place" at home for the remainder of their lives. With assisted living and nursing home facilities costing between $2,500 and $10,00 per month, a senior can make a lot of home adaptations for the cost of just a few months' facility care.

Home modifications won't totally solve the problem of senior safety at home, and they certainly won't treat serious medical conditions requiring professional care. However, they can and do help prevent accidents and make living at home possible for those with declining strength and mobility.

For less than the cost of a few months of care, a house can be remodeled to be more senior-friendly. How much needs to be spent depends on individual situations, but many of these retro-fits for safety and comfort are certainly affordable when compared to the costs of "senior living."

These 10 Projects Will Give Your Senior a Head Start on Safely Aging in Place

1. Move to the ground floor. Bedrooms and bathrooms on the second floor become increasingly hard to reach as strength for stair climbing, balance, and sometimes vision decline. If there is no bathroom on the main floor, this may become a deal-breaker.

2. Move appliances from the basement to the ground floor. The washing machine, the dryer, and the freezer should be on the main floor. An elderly person should not be trucking laundry up and down dangerous basement stairs. If space is at a premium consider stacking washer/dryer units that require only half the space. If your senior does not store much food, there may be no real need for the freezer.

3. At least one outside entrance should be at ground level. Whether it be through the garage, the kitchen, the den or the front, one entry should have no steps or stairs. Even without the need for a wheelchair or other mobility device, a level entrance is by far the safest. Steps and stairs are a senior's enemy. If you absolutely cannot do this, at least install sturdy hand rails at the most-used entrance.

4. Install bright outdoor lighting. All entrances should be brightly lit with lights that come on automatically at dusk. One of these lights should clearly illuminate the front house number, so that emergency responders can easily identify the address. Trim shrubbery away, if necessary.

5. Install a step-in or walk-in shower.  Stepping over the side of the tub becomes difficult for those with arthritis or blance issues, and they are an extreme fall risk. We don't recommend walk-in tubs with doors, but a tub cut which removes a portion of the side can accomplish the same objective. If you want to use a one-piece fiberglass shower be sure that it will be possible to safely install grab bars through the walls (see #6 below).

6. Add grab bars on the walls of the shower that can be used for balance while bathing and while stepping in and out. Add extra bars at the toilet and anywhere else that they might be useful.

7. Widen all internal doors to 36" so they will allow a walker or a wheelchair to pass through easily. Narrow bathroom doors often are the deciding factor in requiring a senior to move from home. Widen at least the most-used door to the outside, as well.

8.  Install a second peep-hole in the front door at what would be your senior's eye level if sitting in a wheelchair. Make sure that the upper peep hole is still at standing eye level. Many seniors become shorter as they age, and these peep holes become unuseable for them.

9. Re-arrange the kitchen so that the senior home owner can grab items used regularly without reaching overhead or bending down below knee level. Pull-out drawer storage is much more senior-friendly than cabinets. You may have to remove items used only once in a blue moon to make room for conveniently storing every day items. Be sure to relocate everything stored above the stove, as no one should be reaching over hot burners.

10. Remove or firmly tape down all throw rugs, area rugs, bath rugs, runners, and entry mats. These are trips just waiting to happen. This may be the most difficult-to-accomplish of our ten recommendations, as we've found that seniors do love their small rugs.

There are many other things you can do that will enhance a senior's ability to age in place at home. These will get you started, and will take some time and financial investment. Always make it a point to use your common sense every time you walk through your senior's home. Check those extension cords, clutter in the pathways, and other obvious accidents-waiting-to-happen that require only a moment to fix.