A round knob asks for a tight grip and a twist. A lever asks her to push or pull with a closed hand or a forearm. The change is small, but it touches doors she uses every day, so it deserves the same steps as any other install.
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Decide which doors count
List the doors she opens in a normal day: the bedroom, the bathroom, any closet she reaches into, the linen closet, and the door to the laundry. Note which way each door swings and whether she pulls it toward herself or pushes it away. Skip doors nobody uses. A short list you can finish is better than a long one you abandon.
Measure the hardware, not the door
Before you order anything, remove one old knob and look at the hole through the door edge and the hole in the door face. Photograph both sides, or take the old set with you. Then check whether the old set is a passage latch with no lock or a privacy set with a lock on the inside. Bathrooms usually need a privacy set. Ask how the outside release works before the door is installed, because a lock that no one can open from the hallway is a danger of its own.
Name who orders and who installs
Write one name next to each step: who picks the set, who buys it, who installs it, and who signs off that it works. If a handyman installs it, ask whether he will also check the strike plate and how the door closes, not only bolt the set in place. Keep the receipt and the packaging with the warranty card, in the same folder as the house paperwork.
Install and check the latch
After the install, close each door using the lever, not by slamming it. The latch should catch without anyone lifting or pushing the door. If the door rubs or the latch misses the strike plate, have that fixed before the installer leaves. Check that the lever returns to level when released and does not stick halfway down.
Test it the way she will use it
Have her try each lever with the hand she uses for the day. Ask her to try it from where she will be standing, and if she sits to dress or to wait, try it from a seated position too. Do this while the installer is still there. If she needs a second try to open a door, the test is not finished.
Name the repair route before the first loose handle
Ask who tightens a loose lever, who replaces the latch when it wears, where spare parts are kept, and how long the warranty runs. Write the answers on the card you keep with the set. A loose lever that nobody owns becomes a door she stops using.
When it becomes a question for the care team
If she cannot push or pull a lever with either hand, if a doorway is too narrow for her walker or chair, or if a door has become hard for her to reach or open, tell the care team. A new handle does not change the room, and it may not be enough on its own. The care team can help you decide what comes next.