Hi there, and welcome back to Aging Together. This May 15th, 2026 on the Aging Together Podcast we talk with Erica Sell, founder of Harmony Home Medical, about how difficult it can be for families to secure the tools older adults need to stay safe at home, and the impact it has on independence, caregiver stress, hospitalizations, and long-term healthcare costs.
The main theme:
We fund crisis care. We don’t fund prevention. Then we’re surprised when people fall.
Every year, the healthcare system spends billions responding to preventable injuries.
They pay for ambulance rides after falls, emergency room visits after bathroom slips, surgeries after broken hips, and rehabilitation after hospital stays.
But when families ask for help paying for grab bars, shower chairs, walkers, ramps, lift chairs, or other adaptive tools that could prevent those injuries in the first place, the answer is often limited coverage—or no coverage at all.
That contradiction sits at the center of one of America’s least discussed healthcare problems: access to home medical equipment.
The truth is simple: many injuries associated with aging are not inevitable. They are often predictable—and preventable.
We Treat the Fall as the Problem. Often, the Home Was the Problem.
When people think about older adult falls, they often assume the cause was weakness, age, or bad luck.
But many falls happen because homes were never designed for changing mobility.
Common hazards include:
- slippery bathtubs
- low toilet seats
- stairs without rails
- poor lighting
- narrow doorways
- rugs that slide
- beds that are too low or too high
- lack of support getting up from chairs
These are environmental risks—not personal failures.
According to the CDC, more than one in four adults age 65 and older fall each year, and falls are a leading cause of injury-related emergency visits for older adults.
Yet despite how common falls are, preventive home equipment remains underutilized and underfunded.
for more information on assessing fall risk in the home, check out this article!
Home Medical Equipment Is Not a Convenience Product
One reason this issue persists is perception.
Many adaptive devices are still treated like optional household accessories rather than legitimate healthcare interventions.
But consider what these products actually do:
Grab Bars
Help stabilize transfers in bathrooms, one of the highest-risk rooms in the home.
Raised Toilet Seats
Reduce strain and unsafe lowering/standing motions.
Walkers and Rollators
Improve balance, confidence, and endurance.
Shower Chairs
Reduce fatigue and slipping risk during bathing.
Ramps
Restore access to entrances and exits.
Lift Chairs
Assist people who struggle to stand safely.
Hospital Beds
Allow safer transfers, repositioning, and recovery.
These devices are often the exact tools that help someone remain at home instead of entering higher levels of care.
Families Carry the Hidden Cost
When insurance does not cover preventive equipment, someone still pays.
Usually, it is families.
They pay through:
- out-of-pocket purchases
- missed work
- manual caregiving labor
- physical strain
- emotional stress
- constant worry
Adult children may become part-time care coordinators overnight.
Spouses may try to physically assist transfers that exceed their own strength or not knowing proper body mechanics.
Relatives improvise unsafe solutions because they do not know what equipment exists—or cannot afford it.
This is one of the least visible costs in healthcare: unpaid family labor replacing affordable prevention.
The Human Cost of Waiting Too Long
Most families do not buy adaptive equipment early.
They buy it after:
- a fall
- a hospitalization
- a frightening near-miss
- a rushed discharge from rehab
- sudden decline after illness
By then, choices are urgent and emotional.
Instead of calmly planning, families scramble.
Instead of prevention, they are reacting.
This delay is common because many people associate equipment with “giving up” or “getting old.”
In reality, the opposite is often true.
The right equipment preserves independence longer.
A walker can extend mobility.
A shower bench can preserve private bathing.
A ramp can keep someone entering their own home.
A lift chair can reduce dependence on others.
These tools are not symbols of decline. They are tools of continuity.
Why Awareness Matters
Many families simply do not know what is available.
They may know about wheelchairs or walkers, but not:
- transfer benches
- bed rails
- threshold ramps
- toilet safety frames
- portable patient lifts
- fall alert systems
- low-profile ramps
- reachers and dressing aids
What Families Can Do Right Now
Even without perfect policy, families can act early.
Ask these questions:
- Is getting into the shower harder than before?
- Is someone using walls or furniture for balance?
- Are stairs becoming stressful?
- Has there been a near-fall recently?
- Is standing from chairs becoming difficult?
- Is caregiving becoming more physical?
If yes, now is the time to explore solutions.
Consult:
- occupational therapists
- physical therapists
- physicians
- home medical equipment providers
- aging-in-place specialists
Final Thoughts
We should not need a fracture before we approve a rail.
We should not need a hospitalization before we recommend a walker.
We should not need caregiver burnout before we discuss lift aids.
Yet too often, that is how the system works.
We fund crisis care. We don’t fund prevention. Then we’re surprised when people fall.
Home medical equipment is one of the simplest, most practical ways to protect independence, reduce injuries, and lower long-term costs.
The smarter question is no longer whether we can afford prevention.
It is whether we can afford to keep ignoring it.
For an unfiltered conversation on the realities of this all, tune in May 15th with Erica Sell: Why Isn’t This Covered? The Truth About Home Medical Equipment and Insurance
Resources
- Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) – Provides education, advocacy, and support for caregivers, including online resources and local services.
- AARP Family Caregiving – Offers guides, financial planning advice, and community support for family caregivers.
- National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) – Provides research, policy updates, and support for caregivers managing both elder and child care responsibilities.
- Alzheimer’s Association – Offers resources, helplines, and support for those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
- The Caregiver Action Network – A nonprofit that provides peer support and resources for family caregivers.
- The Aging Together Caregiver Hub – online community to support, educate, and connect you with others on this journey
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Ready to connect with a community of family caregivers? Join our growing network to access resources, share experiences, and find support for the year ahead. Don’t forget to check out our latest podcast episode and get a sneak peek at what’s coming next. Visit our Instagram page and/or join our caregiver community for more information.
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At Aging Together, we are dedicated to helping you navigate aging together. This blog page is for everyone: whether you are an older adult looking to age in place, a caregiver seeking support and guidance, a young or middle-aged adult planning for the future, or simply someone interested in learning more about the aging process. I hope you’ll join me on this journey. Let’s navigate aging, together.