Your Local Bathroom Safety Experts in Delaware County, PA

Delaware County, Pennsylvania — known to locals as “Delco” — is one of the state’s most established communities, a dense, well-connected county directly west and southwest of Philadelphia. With a population of roughly 585,000, it is the fifth most populous of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, and its county seat is the borough of Media, about 13 miles from Center City. For older adults who want to remain in the homes and neighborhoods they know, Delaware County offers a practical combination of proximity to world-class Philadelphia hospitals, a county government that has made aging-in-place a stated priority, and a growing set of programs that help pay for the home modifications that keep seniors safe.

That last point matters, because much of Delco’s housing stock is older. The county’s own home-repair programs are built specifically to address its aging homes, and older houses are exactly where bathroom safety becomes a pressing concern: high tub walls, narrow doorways, slick tile, and bathrooms that were never designed for someone using a walker or recovering from surgery. The good news is that the resources to make those homes safer — from a dedicated county aging agency to grant programs worth up to $50,000 — are real, local, and within reach for many families.

Delaware County at a Glance

Approximately 17% of Delaware County residents are age 65 or older — on the order of 98,000 to 100,000 people — a share that has been climbing as the county’s population ages in place rather than relocating. Delco is characterized by older inner-ring suburbs and boroughs, with a housing stock the county describes as aging and in need of preservation. For an older homeowner, that combination — established roots, a desire to stay put, and a house that may be decades old — is precisely why proactive safety planning pays off.

It is also why Delaware County has invested in keeping seniors in their homes. Rather than treating institutional care as the default, the county’s services are oriented around the opposite goal: giving residents the support, counseling, and home modifications they need to live independently and with dignity for as long as possible.

The Ecosystem of Aging-in-Place Support

The Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging (COSA)

The hub of senior support in Delco is the Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging (COSA), the county department designated by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging as the local Area Agency on Aging. COSA plans, coordinates, and administers programs for residents age 60 and older, with the explicit goal of helping them maintain independence and dignity, remain in their own homes and communities, and avoid unnecessary institutionalization. Its offices are in Eddystone, and it can be reached at 610-490-1300 or 800-416-4504.

COSA’s programs cover the full arc of aging-in-place needs. Care Management staff make in-home visits to residents 60 and older, assess care needs, and build a plan for long-term living at home. The OPTIONS in-home services program can arrange home-delivered meals, personal care, home support, and adult day care for those who qualify. A Caregiver Support Program assigns each family caregiver a care manager to ease the strain of caring for an older relative, and the Domiciliary Care program offers a home-like community living arrangement for adults who cannot safely live alone. COSA also runs a Protective Services program that investigates confidential reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of residents 60 and older, with a business-hours line at 610-490-1300 and an after-hours line at 610-622-9284.

Beyond case work, COSA operates wellness centers — including locations in Yeadon and the city of Chester — that serve as community hubs, and it offers the “Healthy Steps” Fall Prevention Program in partnership with Main Line Health. For navigating Medicare, COSA connects residents to PA MEDI (Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight, the program formerly known as APPRISE), a free, unbiased counseling service that answers questions about original Medicare, Medigap, Medicare Advantage, long-term care insurance, and prescription drug plans. The statewide PA MEDI helpline is 1-800-783-7067.

Addressing Bathroom Safety and Home Modification

Why the Bathroom Comes First

Falls are the central safety risk for older adults, and the bathroom — wet, hard-surfaced, and full of transfers on and off the tub and toilet — is where many of them happen. According to the CDC, more than one in four Americans age 65 and older falls each year, older-adult falls cause roughly 3 million emergency department visits annually, and falling once roughly doubles the chance of falling again. Falls are also the leading cause of traumatic brain injury in older adults. Grab bars in and around the shower and toilet, a secure seat, and a stable transfer point are the simplest, highest-impact defenses against that risk.

Financial and Programmatic Resources for Safety and Accessibility

Delaware County residents have access to a strong, stacked set of funding programs for home safety and accessibility work.

The county’s flagship resource is the Delaware County Whole Home Repair Program, which provides income-qualified homeowners with health, safety, and accessibility-related repairs and modifications of up to $50,000 per home. Since August 2023 the program has been administered by Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties (Habitat MontDelco), and it was created specifically to address the county’s aging housing stock and keep qualifying homeowners safely in place. Because intake status and funding can change, families should confirm current availability with Habitat MontDelco before applying.

At the state level, the Pennsylvania Whole-Home Repairs Program, administered through the Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED), provides grants of up to $50,000 per owner-occupied home for habitability, energy efficiency, and accessibility work, for households at or below 80% of the area median income. These funds must be spent by December 31, 2026, and lawmakers have proposed a successor “Pennsylvania Home Preservation Grant Program” to continue the work. The Delaware County Home Weatherization Program offers low-income residents energy and home improvements at no charge, with special consideration given to the elderly and people with disabilities.

Finally, the state-funded Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program provides eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older, widows and widowers 50 and older, and adults with disabilities a rebate of up to $1,000; for 2025 the household income limit is $48,110, and the application deadline has been extended to December 31, 2026. While not a home-modification grant, it frees up household funds that can be redirected toward safety improvements.

Strategic Recommendations for Delaware County Families

Start with a Conversation and a Plan

Begin with the free, objective counseling available through PA MEDI and a call to COSA. These cost nothing and help clarify which programs a parent or relative qualifies for before any money is spent.

Make the Bathroom Safe First

Prioritize the highest-risk room. Professionally installed grab bars at the shower, tub, and toilet, along with a non-slip surface and a secure seat, address the most common fall scenarios. Where budget is a concern, explore the Delaware County Whole Home Repair Program and the PA Whole-Home Repairs Program, which can be paired with other assistance.

Use the Full Network

Lean on COSA’s wellness centers, fall-prevention program, and care managers as ongoing resources, not one-time contacts. By combining the county’s public support with professional, ADA-compliant installation, Delaware County families can prepare a home for a long, safe, and independent future.