I'm thinking that the big rules for preparing to age in place are
1) Be proactive!
2) Don't procrastinate!

I can be pretty darned certain that in years to come (if they come) I will be less strong, less swift and less adept than I am today, so if things must be done to make my staying at home possible and if they can be done now, now is the best time to do them.

I don't mean by this a frenzy of activity, but rather a calm assessment of what's before me and how to improve it for my best long term options.

This can mean, for example, quietly participating in neighborhood activities so that I'm connected to people around me and so I can learn by observing how others deal with problems of aging.

When we decided to make a downstairs walk in shower and to enclose our back porch to make a comfortable place to watch the birds and woods, it was clear that if those adaptations could keep us out of assisted living for just 2 or 3 months, they will have paid for themselves.

We have learned a lot dealing with my wife's surgeries and recoveries, done at home at a physical therapy clinic.
When you have a one hour visit with a health care worker, at home or in a clinic, it seems likely you'll get good, focused attention because they are scheduled and paid to pay attention to you for that time.
(My experience working as an aide in a geriatric ward many years ago was that there was almost never enough time to fully meet patients' needs before there was another emergency.)

So we are learning what services can be contracted from health care providers, what will Medicare cover, how to arrange care and coverage.

Today I began working through some disagreements with a neighbor. Not perfect, but we are talking and sharing thoughts, so this evening my world feels a bit bigger and more interconnected. It makes my future feel more safe and secure.