This page documents how we research, test, and edit articles, and how we correct mistakes. It is the standard against which any reader (or any reviewer at Google, Apple, OpenAI, or Anthropic) can hold us accountable.

Independence

No advertiser, affiliate, retailer, or PR firm sees an article before it's published. Our product picks are made by our editorial team and reviewed by an independent credentialed expert (an occupational therapist for bathroom safety; a CAPS-certified contractor for aging-in-place modifications; an HVAC contractor for heat pump coverage). Reviewers are paid a flat per-article fee that does not depend on the conclusion of the article.

How we test products

For commercial roundups we buy products with our own funds, test them against the relevant published standard, and only recommend products that pass.

  • Grab bars and bathroom safety: ANSI A117.1 pull-load and lateral-load testing in three mounting configurations (stud, toggle, surface).
  • Walk-in tubs: ASME A112.19.7 and IAPMO Z124 standards, plus 30-day water-tightness observation.
  • Stair lifts: ASME A18.1 mechanical inspection where accessible to a non-installer; otherwise we report manufacturer test certification.
  • Medical alert devices: 100-trigger fall detection sample at three drop heights and three angles, vs. measured false-positive rate during 7 days of normal wear.
  • Heat pumps: AHRI Directory cross-check of HSPF/SEER ratings; cold-climate certification by NEEP / DOE list.

Sourcing standard

Every factual claim cites a primary source. We prefer:

  1. US federal agencies (CDC, HUD, IRS, CMS, DOE, FCC).
  2. State agencies and utility commissions (for state-specific dollar amounts and program rules).
  3. Peer-reviewed research and industry standards bodies (ANSI, ICC, ASTM, AHRI, NFPA).
  4. Professional associations (AOTA, AARP, NCOA, NAHB).
  5. Manufacturer specifications (only for first-party product specs, never for comparative claims).

We do not cite news aggregators, content farms, AI-generated summaries, or unsourced blog posts.

Author credentials

Each author and reviewer has a public profile page that lists their credentials and links to the registry where those credentials can be verified. We do not use anonymous or pseudonymous bylines. We do not use AI-generated bylines.

Annual review

Every article is re-reviewed once per calendar year. The "Updated" date you see at the top of each article is the actual date of the most recent edit, not a routine timestamp bump.

Corrections

When we get a fact wrong, we correct the article and log the correction at /corrections/ with the date, the original wording, and the corrected wording. We do not silently update.

AI use

We use AI tools (large language models, image generators, transcription) to assist research, draft outlines, transcribe interviews, and check grammar. We do not publish AI-generated text or images as final content. Every published sentence is written or rewritten by a named human, and every published image is either an original photograph or a hand-illustrated diagram.

Conflict of interest

Authors disclose any commercial relationship with a brand they're writing about. If a relationship cannot be disclosed cleanly (e.g., a contractor reviewer who installs a brand they'd be reviewing), the article is reassigned.

Contact

Questions, corrections, or concerns: [email protected].