The PDF in which this article appear can be found in Bifocal Vol. 46 Issue 4.
April 29, 2025
We Cannot Wait: Aging with Dignity Demands Housing with Access
Tom Crishon, Esq.
In Indiana, like much of the country, we are getting older. It’s a demographic shift that’s already changing how we think about health care, transportation, and especially housing. Ask most older adults what they want for their future, and they won’t mention moving into a facility. They will say they want to stay home—somewhere familiar, safe, and comfortable. Somewhere they know the neighbors. Somewhere they can still make it to church, to the pharmacy, or to lunch with friends.
That’s what aging in place means. But for too many Hoosiers, especially those with disabilities, that basic goal is slipping out of reach. The struggle to age safely and affordably at home is not unique to Indiana. But by focusing here, we see how a single state’s experience reflects broader national concerns.
The Housing Cost Squeeze
In Central Indiana, nearly half of renters aged 65 and older are spending more than 30% of their income on housing, and about one in four spend over half of it. When you’re living on a fixed income, every dollar matters. Rising rent, higher utility bills, and property taxes can quickly turn a lifelong home into a financial burden.
Even older adults who own their homes aren’t immune. About 20% of older homeowners are also considered housing cost burdened. For them, the challenge isn’t just affording the mortgage. It’s rising insurance premiums, the cost of repairs, winterizing the house, keeping the roof intact, and eventually installing a ramp or walk-in shower to stay safe at home.
In many rural parts of Indiana, where housing options are limited and public transportation is sparse or nonexistent, older adults have even fewer choices. They may stay in homes that are unsafe or inaccessible simply because there is nowhere else to go. The result is housing instability that is harder to see, yet no less real.
Accessibility Gaps
Then there is the physical structure of the home itself. Most houses weren’t built with aging in mind. According to a regional housing report that includes Indiana, only about 27% of homes have basic features that make them “aging ready”—things like a no-step entry and a bathroom and bedroom on the first floor. That means three out of four homes likely have stairs at the front door, or narrow bathrooms, or other design barriers that can turn daily living into a safety hazard.
Small modifications can make a world of difference. Adding grab bars in a bathroom or replacing a high-walled bathtub with a walk-in shower can prevent falls—the leading cause of injury among older adults. Installing lever-style doorknobs, raising electrical outlets, or widening doorways for mobility devices can mean the difference between independence and institutional care. But those modifications can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars—far beyond the reach of many low-income seniors.
You would be surprised how many older adults are forced to sleep in a recliner or limit their bathing because their bathroom just isn’t safe anymore—and they can’t afford to change it.
The Fair Housing Connection
Housing isn’t just about bricks and mortar. It’s about rights. And too often, those rights are ignored.
The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to discriminate in housing based on disability—along with several other protected characteristics such as race, sex, and family status. That includes refusing to make reasonable accommodations, like allowing a service animal, or denying someone the ability to make basic modifications, like adding a grab bar. Yet, despite these protections, complaints persist of landlords resisting reasonable accommodations or modifications, and of older tenants even facing eviction after requesting them.
Some do not even ask. They are afraid—afraid of being labeled “difficult,” afraid of being seen as a problem, and most of all, afraid of losing the roof over their heads. For many, it is not just housing—it is their home, their safety, their stability.
Others stay silent because they do not realize they have legal protections. They may not know that federal and state fair housing laws give them the right to request reasonable accommodations or modifications. Without that knowledge, they often endure unsafe or unsuitable conditions simply because they believe they have no other option.
What Indiana Is Doing
The Indiana Division of Aging has recognized these barriers. In its State Plan on Aging, it outlines goals to help older adults remain in their homes and communities. Housing is a big part of that plan. The state is working to build stronger partnerships between housing providers and the aging network. Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) across the state help by connecting people with home modification funds, rental assistance, and case management.
But even these supports can only stretch so far. The demand is bigger than the funding. Waitlists are common. And in many parts of Indiana—especially rural areas—accessible, affordable rental options just don’t exist.
Some communities are also stepping up. Fishers, a suburb of Indianapolis, for example, put together an Accessible Housing Guide to help residents find barrier-free living spaces and connect with local programs. In Indianapolis, the John Boner Neighborhood Centers have created housing with built-in supports that let older adults live independently but not alone. These programs aren’t flashy, but they’re smart—and they work. And we need more of them.
What Needs to Change
If we want to help older Hoosiers age in place, we need to rethink how we view housing. It is not just a financial investment—it is a matter of public health, civil rights, and basic dignity.
That means:
- Investing in home modification programs and expanding funding
- Enforcing fair housing laws and educating both landlords and tenants
- Prioritizing accessible design in new housing construction
- Supporting local solutions and giving communities the flexibility to meet local needs
These steps won’t just help individuals—they’ll save taxpayer dollars in the long run. The cost of a home modification is a fraction of what it costs to institutionalize someone who could otherwise live independently. And the more we enable people to age in place, the stronger our communities become.
Because here’s the thing: aging in place isn’t just a personal preference. It’s often safer. It’s less expensive than institutional care. And it allows people to live with the independence they’ve earned.
We cannot afford to treat accessible housing like a niche issue anymore. It is a central part of aging policy, in a country with an aging population. It is also a civil rights issue. And for thousands of Hoosiers, it is what will determine whether they get to live out their lives in a home—or in a place that never really felt like one.