HGTV has trained everyone to think a home renovation means an open-concept kitchen and a wall of shiplap. The renovations that actually keep your aging Dad at home are a little less photogenic. 

A new proposal in Congress wants to help cover them and we're breaking down what it would pay for, who qualifies, and why you shouldn't budget around it yet.

💍 The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is asking spouses and long-term partners caring for someone with dementia to share how caregiving affects their health, stress and support needs.

🛒 Costco is teaming up with nonprofit insurer SCAN Group to offer Costco-branded Medicare Advantage plans.

🚶 New research explains why older adults may tire faster while walking: the body starts prioritizing stability over speed and efficiency.

📚 A New Jersey library is making dementia support easier to find, with memory cafés, caregiver groups and resources built close to home.

☺️ Ethel Caterham, the world’s oldest living person, turned 117 with family, friends and at least one very solid longevity rule: “Never arguing with anyone.”

The Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act of 2026 proposes a federal tax credit of up to $10,000 a year for people 60 and older who modify their homes to live in them safely and independently.

First, the most critical detail: this is not law. There is no $10,000 credit to claim today. Versions of the bill have been introduced in both the House and Senate, but they still have to pass Congress and be signed into law before the tax credit exists.

But the bill covers expenses families end up covering themselves, so it's worth knowing what's on the table.

What could qualify?

Under the bill as written:

The bill also leaves room for other modifications that federal agencies decide would help an older adult stay safe and independent at home. While this isn’t Congress’s way of letting Dad know his Tuscan backsplash has had its day, it can help him stay in a home he loves safely, for longer. 

How much are we talking?

Up to $10,000 in eligible expenses per taxpayer, per year is how the bill is currently written. There are income limits. Under the current bill, the credit starts shrinking once modified adjusted gross income passes:

Above those lines, it phases out gradually. Also worth knowing: it's written as a nonrefundable credit. In plain English, it can lower the federal income tax someone owes, but it won't hand back more than they owed in the first place.

If it becomes law as written, it would apply starting with the 2027 tax year.

Why now?

Despite its glossy brochure, Dad isn’t interested in packing up for Shady Acres and neither are most of his friends. AARP found that 75% of adults 50 and older want to remain in their current homes as they age.

And no surprise here: Dad’s house may not be set up for him to safely age in. Stairs, slick showers, and narrow doorways can turn everyday living into a fall risk.

Medicare generally won't cover structural changes like ramps, widened doorways, or grab bars. So the safety upgrades that keep someone out of the hospital, and out of a facility currently land on the family's credit card.

So what should you do?

Again, this isn’t law. Don't head to Home Depot quite yet, or you might get stuck with a different kind of bill. If Dad wants to stay home and you’re game to help make that happen, start with a walk-through before a fall forces the issue. Take the stairs, check the bathrooms, lighting and rugs, and make a short list of what may need to change in the next few months or years. Have a conversation with him about what needs to look different to keep him safe and collect estimates on the costs. 

If accessibility work is already medically necessary, check with a tax professional. The IRS allows some home modifications, including ramps, grab bars, and widened doorways to count as medical expenses under existing rules.

As for the proposed $10,000 credit? Keep it on your radar and out of Dad’s budget. We'll be watching, and give you a heads up if it becomes officially official.

You can’t fail this one. Answers and another quiz drop next week.

You said it. This week’s submissions.

"Had to talk with both my teenage son and Dad about smoking weed...weird times over here."

"It's nice to hear when Mom recognizes that being her roommate and her caregiver is a lot."

"Catheter on hospice? Nurse said yes and Dad said no. I have no clue what to do."

"Mom fell and it was tough."

"My mom is addicted to social media. She's worse than my kids."

"I love my Dad so much but caring for him is making me resentful and I hate feeling this way."