PHILADELPHIA, PA — As winter approaches, older Philadelphia residents and their families may want to take a closer look at a home-safety issue that can be easy to overlook: navigating the home after dark.
Shorter daylight hours mean that more everyday movement may take place in lower-light conditions, particularly around bedrooms, hallways, stairways and bathrooms. Wet surfaces and existing accessibility challenges can also become more noticeable during the winter months.
The issue comes as Philadelphia's older population continues to grow. According to a June 2026 report from The Pew Charitable Trusts, the city's population age 65 and older increased by 24% between 2014 and 2024 and now represents 15% of Philadelphia's population. The report points to the growing housing and service needs of Philadelphia's older residents.
Philadelphia's housing stock provides another local consideration. A 2025 City of Philadelphia housing analysis found that most of the city's housing was built before 1960, with nearly 40% built in 1939 or earlier and another 25% constructed between 1940 and 1959. For homeowners adapting these properties, older layouts can create additional accessibility considerations, particularly around stairs, narrow passages, bathrooms and entrances.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's home fall-prevention checklist recommends using a nightlight when the path between a bedroom and bathroom is dark. The checklist also calls for clear floors and stairs, adequate lighting around stairways, secure handrails and appropriate bathroom safety measures, including grab bars.
“Families often focus on the stairs themselves, but accessibility concerns can also begin with the path leading to the stairs, the bathroom, or the bedroom,” said Larry Gladstone, owner of Stair Ride Company. “A simple review of how someone moves through the home at night can help identify areas that may need attention before a problem occurs.”
The National Institute on Aging similarly recommends adequate lighting around stairs, removing loose rugs, using nonslip measures on surfaces that may get wet, and installing grab bars near toilets and in tubs or showers. These recommendations reinforce the importance of evaluating the home environment as part of fall-prevention and accessibility planning.
Bathroom access can be particularly relevant during nighttime hours. A bedroom-to-bathroom route may involve hallways, flooring changes, stairs and bathroom surfaces that can become wet. Addressing these conditions can be part of broader accessibility planning without assuming that every older home requires the same modifications.
Where stairs present a significant mobility barrier, a stair lift may be one accessibility option. Similarly, ramps can provide an alternative where changes in elevation at an entrance create difficulties for someone using a mobility device. The appropriate solution depends on the home's layout and the individual's circumstances. The National Institute on Aging includes ramps with handrails among potential home accessibility measures.
Winter does not necessarily mean that falls will increase. Research on seasonal fall patterns is mixed, but reduced daylight and darker indoor pathways can make existing home-safety concerns more noticeable during the winter months.
For Stair Ride Company, reviewing nighttime movement is one practical way for families to identify potential accessibility concerns before they become urgent. Evaluating stairs, bathroom access, lighting and pathways can help homeowners determine whether targeted modifications may better support changing mobility needs.
About Stair Ride Company
Stair Ride Company has served homeowners in the Greater Philadelphia area since 1965, providing accessibility solutions including stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, vertical platform lifts, bathroom modifications and ADA grab bars. The company serves customers throughout Greater Philadelphia, Delaware and South Jersey.

Media Contact
Stair Ride Company
Warminster, PA
Phone: 215-442-1531
Email: [email protected]
Website: stairrideco.com