Aging in place focuses on creating a safe, comfortable, and accessible environment that adapts to the changing needs of older adults. Option A includes three fundamental principles of this design strategy. Flush thresholds eliminate tripping hazards and facilitate movement with mobility aids. Grab bars provide crucial support in bathrooms and hallways to prevent falls. Lever-style handles on doors and faucets are easier to operate for individuals with limited hand strength or arthritis, a common condition in older adults. These three elements directly address key challenges of aging: mobility, stability, and dexterity.

B. The specified 30" [762 mm] clear door width is insufficient. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires a minimum clear opening of 32" [815 mm] for accessible doorways.

C. While low-maintenance products and low-pile carpeting are beneficial, "low-cost" is a budgetary constraint, not a specific design feature for aging in place. Safety and accessibility should be prioritized.

D. Hardwood flooring can be a slip hazard, especially when wet, and provides a hard surface that can increase the severity of injury from a fall. Non-slip flooring is a safer recommendation.

1. Pynoos

J.

& Nishita

C. M. (2016). Housing and the Oldest Old. In M. L. Wykle

S. J. Gueldner

& K. H. K. Brouwer (Eds.)

Aging Well: Gerontological Education for Nurses and Other Health Professionals. Jones & Bartlett Learning. (This text discusses the importance of home modifications like grab bars

lever handles

and removing trip hazards like thresholds for older adults to age in place safely.)

2. U.S. Department of Justice. (2010). 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Section 404.2.3 Clear Width. (This official standard specifies that door openings shall provide a minimum clear width of 32 inches (815 mm)

making the 30-inch width in option B incorrect.)

3. Cornell University

College of Human Ecology. (n.d.). Universal Design and Aging in Place. Design & Environmental Analysis Department. (Course materials and publications from this department emphasize principles like using lever-style hardware and creating zero-step entrances with flush thresholds as key components of universal design for all ages

particularly for aging in place.)

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). Older Adult Fall Prevention: Check for Safety. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. (This official public health resource explicitly recommends installing grab bars and removing tripping hazards

such as thresholds

as primary methods for preventing falls in the home.)