Home Adaptations for Better Comfort and Accessibility

Home adaptations are meant to allow for your home to be safer and easier to get around. It is important to consider and identify the level of difficulty to complete tasks around your home to determine what needs to be added or removed. Some of the major reasons why people decide to make these changes is if they have trouble with answering the door, using the bathroom, having difficulty with kitchen access, or climbing stairs. Here are a range of ways to make your home safe and comfortably accessible.

  • Basic Adaptations

    • Decluttering

      • Removing items around your house that clutter your home can help allow you to prioritize the immediate objects you need on a daily basis. Having a family member or friend to help you with this will make the process much smoother. A way to do this is putting things into 5 different piles: Give away, sell, throw away, donate, and keep. 

    • Rearranging furniture 

      • Moving or removing furniture into an open formation will help eliminate any potential obstacles getting into a space you use frequently. 

    • Lighting 

      • Adding night lights, motion sensor lights, or clappers around your home can help reduce any chance of falling or tripping during the night or in dark spaces. Better yet install smart lighting!

    • Trip Hazards 

      • Some of the most common trip hazards are rugs and cords. Make sure to remove rugs to avoid any potential of tripping and secure cords to an area that will be out of your usual path of mobility. 

    • Easy-to-Reach

      • Place any items you use more regularly and in easy to reach areas in your kitchen, closet and pantry. This will also give you the opportunity to better organize these spaces for further ease as well. 

    • Bathroom Traction 

      • Adding traction slip or non-skid tape will help prevent the chance of slipping in your bathroom after a shower or bath. 

    • Door Knobs

      • Switching out door knobs for handles helps make opening and turning things easier, especially for those who have arthritis or have difficulties with hand strength. 

  • Advanced Adaptations

    • Handrails

      • Handrails can be installed in order to help keep our balance better as we age. Smart places to add these are in a hallway, next to or near your bed, in the bathroom and kitchen or other places around your home you use frequently. 

    • Wheelchair Ramps 

      • While this may seem like an expensive addition, and not always necessary depending on your situation, it will help save you health expenses in the long run in case if you fall. Ramps will allow you to be more comfortable knowing you can easily get in and out of your home with ease. 

    • Add a Stair Lift

      • If you can no longer walk up and down your stairs safely, a stair lift is a good option, some insurance plans will help cover the cost of this addition. Another option is asking for someone to help move your bedroom items to a room on the first floor. 

    • Widening Doorways 

      • Though this process can be taxing, it will be worth it to have extra space to move freely without hitting door frames, especially with walkers and wheelchairs. 

    • Lowering Countertops 

      • Lowering countertops will help you be able to reach for kitchen appliances or other items you may need on a day to day basis. While this can be an expensive project, it will help prevent injuries of reaching too far and falling or dropping items. 

 

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Anna Cook