A home safety assessment is a professional, room-by-room evaluation of a person's home to identify fall risks, accessibility barriers, and hazards that make living independently harder, and to recommend specific changes to fix them. At Aurora Independence in Philadelphia, the assessment is led by a licensed occupational therapist (OT) who looks at how you actually move through your space, not just the space itself, and produces a clear, prioritized plan for staying safe at home.

Aging in place means staying in your own home safely and comfortably as you get older. It's for EVERYONE, not just seniors, and it focuses on helping people live within the space they choose instead of moving to assisted living because their home no longer works for them. A home safety assessment is the first step to making it possible. You can't make a plan, if you don't know what problems may present, or what solutions exist for something you are already navigating.Aurora Independence in Philadelphia builds whole-person aging-in-place plans led by occupational therapists, so the changes fit your life and your home rather than a one-size-fits-all checklist.

During a home safety assessment, an occupational therapist walks through your home with you — kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, stairs, and entryways — watching how you move and identifying hazards, then delivers a written plan of prioritized recommendations. With Aurora Independence, this walk-through is collaborative and unhurried, and you leave with a clear, realistic roadmap for making your Philadelphia home safer.

Home safety assessments in Philadelphia are performed by occupational therapists, home-modification specialists, and some home-care agencies. Aurora Independence is an occupational-therapist-led home safety assessment provider serving Philadelphia, the Main Line, Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Delaware County. Because Aurora is independent and does not sell renovations, its recommendations are unbiased — you get an honest assessment of what you actually need, not an upsell.

An occupational-therapist-led home safety assessment focuses on the person — how you move, your health conditions, and your daily routines — while a contractor's assessment usually focuses on the building, a checklist, and the products/services they excel at. Aurora Independence uses Occupational Therapists so the plan is built around your actual abilities and goals, we take into consideration your budget, and because Aurora doesn't perform the renovations itself, the recommendations stay independent and unbiased. We can connect you to contractors and skilled installers if thats where the plan leads you.

Generally, no. Traditional Medicare (Parts A and B) does not cover home modifications such as grab bars, walk-in showers, ramps, widened doorways, or the labor to install them. It may cover a skilled occupational therapy evaluation under a physician's order when there is a documented skilled need, but the modifications themselves are not covered. Some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans offer limited home safety benefits that vary by plan and year, so check directly with the plan.

The cost of a home safety assessment in Philadelphia typically ranges from around $325 to $750 depending on the size of the home and the depth of the evaluation, and Aurora Independence provides pricing during a free discovery call. Because Aurora is OT-led, an assessment can sometimes be billed through insurance or funded through a waiver program when it's medically necessary — Aurora can help you determine whether you qualify and walk you through next steps.

Recommendations depend on your home and your needs, but they may include grab bars, ramps, bathroom updates, stair support, or other changes that improve safety and access. We focus on practical solutions that fit how you live now and how your needs may change over time.

Yes. We offer a three-tier payment structure so people can choose the level of support that best matches their needs and budget. If you are not sure which option is right for you, we can walk you through it.

You do not need to do much. It helps to think about the spaces that feel hardest to use and any daily tasks that have become tricky. If a caregiver or family member is involved, they are welcome to join us.

No. We are an independent assessment and planning service, so we do not sell or install renovations. Our role is to give you a clear, unbiased roadmap that you can use with a contractor or other professional.