Aging in Place in Livingston, NJ: Home Modifications

Homes in Livingston

Livingston is a town of owners. Nearly all occupied homes are owner-occupied, and most housing units are single-family detached houses. The median house was built in 1962, and many homes predate 1960.

Source: Census Bureau, median year built and age

Construction from the postwar and early-1960s years usually means ranches, split-levels and center-hall colonials on their own lots. Those layouts bring their own quirks: half-flights of stairs between levels, a few steps up to the front door, bathrooms with a tub and a small vanity, and a lower-level family room that sees less use as knees get tired.

With almost 19 percent of residents 65 or older, above the share seen across NJ, more Livingston households are likely thinking about this now. Because owners make the decisions and the lots are usually open, ramps and lifts have room to go, which is not always the case in denser parts of Essex County.

That gives most projects here a clear path from decision to work.

Aging in place in Livingston, NJ: the ranch, the split-level and the colonial

The median Livingston home was built in 1962. About 45 percent of homes predate 1960, and 71 percent were built before 1980. Postwar and early-1960s houses make up much of the town.

Source: Census Bureau, year built and median year built

Each style has its own pinch points.

• Ranch: one floor, so stairs are less of an issue. The trouble is usually the bathroom and the front steps.
• Split-level: half-flights between levels, so there is no single staircase to fix. Several short runs add up.
• Colonial: a full flight to the bedrooms and a basement flight below.

Knowing which one you live in tells you where to look first.

Safety checks any Livingston household can run this week

You do not need a contractor to start. Walk the house with a pad and pencil, and look for the places where a fall could begin.

• Stairs: is there a rail on both sides, and a light and switch at the top and bottom?
• Tub and shower: is the floor non-slip, and is there something solid to hold?
• The path from bed to bath: is it lit at night?
• Rugs and cords on the way: can they go?

These come from CDC's home fall-prevention checklist. CDC reports that one in four older adults falls every year. In New Jersey in 2024, falls were the leading cause of unintentional injury death for residents 60 and older, with 574 deaths and more than 22,000 hospital admissions.

Sources: NJ Human Services, CDC

Items on that list that need a trade, such as stair light switches, are for an electrician. Rails, bars and shower changes are what Aging in Place NJ can connect you with a local contractor to do. Make a note of what you find, and describe it when you call.

Essex County resources and local permit questions

The Essex County Division of Senior Services is the county aging office the state lists for Livingston residents. It lists Home Modifications for ramps, Residential Repair and a Matter of Balance falls program. Call to ask what you qualify for.

On permits, ask the Livingston construction office one extra question. New Jersey lets a town, by ordinance, waive construction permit fees for work that is solely to promote accessibility for disabled persons. It is optional, and it is up to each town. A veteran with a total, permanent service-connected VA disability is covered by a rule that towns must follow. Ask whether Livingston has an ordinance.

Sources: NJ Legislature, Essex County

For funding, see paying for home modifications in New Jersey. Original Medicare treats modifications as noncovered.

Livingston and the towns next to it

If a parent or sibling lives close by, see aging in place in West Orange, aging in place in Montclair or aging in place in Parsippany. Their housing differs from Livingston's, and so do the notes.

To begin, call (315) 640-3590 or use the form, and take $100 off your first project.