My wife and I are taking similar precautions even though the odds say we won't need them for some time since I'm 62 and she's 10 years younger than I am. In addition to the bars and no lip shower, we had a wheelchair ramp built into our deck when we had it redone. But it was designed in a way that doesn't look like that's what it's for.
The interesting part is that we live in a 55+ community full of people who downsized, and none of the houses look ready for someone having accessibility issues.
And yes, family pressure can definitely lead to someone making a choice they don't want to make. I'm sorry for the woman you know while also glad your parents figured out what worked for them.