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12 Bedroom Essentials for Older Adults
Want to make the bedroom safer, more comfortable, and easier to manage from bed? These practical essentials keep lights, devices, medications, and ways to call for help within easy reach, plus motion-activated lighting to make nighttime trips around the room easier.
Bedroom Essentials for Older Adults
Caregiver Call Button
A caregiver call button makes it easier to ask for help without shouting or searching for a phone to call or text a caregiver. Keep the button on the nightstand, attach it to the bedframe, or wear it on a lanyard so it stays within easy reach. For more ideas, explore 10 ways to easily contact another person in the house.
Eye Mask for Sleeping
We've tried many eye masks, and these are by far and away the best we've tried. They have room to reduce pressure on your eyes and are exceptionally comfortable and thick to keep the light out. Keeping it beside the bed makes it easy to use for nighttime sleep or daytime naps. Ear plugs can also be helpful to block out noise.
Remote Control Outlets
Remote-control outlets let someone operate bedside lamps, fans, or other plugged-in devices without getting out of bed or reaching for a difficult switch. They can be especially helpful at night or when pain, weakness, or limited mobility makes movement difficult. If you have vision impairment or have trouble sitting up, tactile bump dots can be placed on important buttons to easily identify them by touch.
Motion-Activated Lights
Motion-activated lights turn on automatically when someone gets out of bed, helping illuminate the path to the bathroom without searching for a switch. They can make nighttime movement easier and reduce the risk of tripping in a dark room. These are our favorite because they come with the motion activation or continuous "on" option.
Large Day and Time Clock
A large, high-contrast clock that displays the day of week, time of day (predawn, morning, afternoon, evening, night), time and date. It can provide helpful orientation after waking or during the night, particularly for someone experiencing low vision, memory changes, or nighttime confusion.
Magnetic Item Holder
A magnetic holder creates a designated bedside place for frequently used items such as a remote control or phone. Keeping essentials visible and within reach can reduce searching, stretching, and the risk of dropping them between the bed and nightstand. For more ideas, you can read Easy Ways to Make a TV Remote Easier for Older Adults to See, Find, and Use.
High-Contrast Remote Case
A bright, high-contrast case makes a remote easier to see against bedding, furniture, or the floor. Some cases also include a handle or space for a tracker, making the remote easier to hold and locate.
Bedside Rail
A bedside support rail provides a steady handhold when getting into or out of bed. The attached storage pocket also keeps essentials like a phone, remote, or tissues organized and within easy reach.
Bedside Caddy
A bedside caddy keeps essentials like a phone, remote, tissues, medications, and water bottle organized and within easy reach. It attaches securely to the bed, helping reduce stretching, bending, or getting up to search for frequently used items.
Magnetic Charging Station
A magnetic charging station makes it easier to charge a phone, watch, or earbuds without lining up a small cable with a charging port. Kept beside the bed, it provides a simple place to charge essential devices so they are powered and within reach overnight.
Voice Assistant
A voice assistant can set reminders, make calls, answer simple questions, and control compatible lights or appliances. Beside the bed, it provides a hands-free way to complete everyday tasks or request assistance. For more useful and fun ideas, you can check out 10 Ways for Older Adults to Use Alexa.
Voice Controlled Outlets (Compatible with Alexa)
Smart plugs let someone turn bedside lamps, fans, or other plugged-in devices on and off using a voice assistant. This can make the bedroom easier to control without getting out of bed, reaching for switches, or navigating a phone.
Simple Bedroom Tips and Tricks for Aging in Place
Tray on Bed with Essentials
If it is hard to reach a table, use a tray on the bed to keep remotes, glasses, hearing aids, water, medications, and other nighttime essentials together in the same easy-to-reach spot.