At the center of this challenge lies a deceptively simple question: who is best positioned to guide the transformation of these homes?
An NIH-backed study recently helped crystallize what many in the field have long known intuitively: occupational therapists bring a uniquely effective lens to aging in place. When OT-led home modifications were combined with physical activity and behavioral interventions, the outcomes were notably stronger across quality of life, function, and independence.
Why does the OT perspective matter so much?
Because aging is not just a structural problem—it’s a relational one. The discipline of occupational therapy centers around the dynamic between the person, their environment, and the occupations (tasks) they need and want to do each day. Known as the P-E-O model, this framework doesn’t just consider whether a space is safe—it asks whether it’s working for the actual human who lives there.
That might mean:
- Strengthening the person’s abilities where possible (mobility, executive function, sensory awareness)
- Adapting the environment to minimize risk without introducing stigma or friction
- Modifying daily tasks to reduce physical and cognitive load
When applied together, this approach doesn’t just reduce risk. It expands agency.
What’s often overlooked in policy and product design is that aging isn’t just about surviving longer—it’s about sustaining the ability to participate in one’s own life. OT-led interventions succeed not because they push equipment into the home, but because they start by listening to what the person wants to keep doing—then make that possible.
This is the thinking behind DwellSafe’s clinical review process: each home scan is evaluated through this human-centered lens, with OTs leading the review—not as compliance checkers, but as advocates for functional living. It’s an approach rooted not just in safety, but in dignity.
As healthcare continues shifting into the home—and as funding models begin to recognize that reactive care is no longer scalable—there’s a clear opportunity to rethink how we define clinical expertise. Not just who delivers care, but where, how, and with what lens.
Occupational therapists have long been working in the space between environments and outcomes. As we build next-generation models for aging in place, it’s time to treat that perspective not as a complement, but as core.
