Getting older is something that happens to all of us and with age comes amazing opportunities, experiences, and memories, but something that many worry about when they get older is their mobility. Mobility often decreases with age, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t live life to the fullest and that includes within your home. If you or a family member sometimes struggle getting around the home or have limited mobility, then read on to find some simple home adaptations you can make to keep your home as accessible, spacious, and safe as possible.
How to make your home more accessible:
- Level access or ramp
- Create a wet room
- Create floor space
- Widen doorways
- Install a home stair lift
Level access or a ramp
It may sound simple, but most homes are accessed by stairs within a porch, and these can become a safety hazard for those who use mobility aids or are unsteady on their feet, but there are some easy and affordable solutions to allow you to reach your front door quickly and easily.
You could invest in a sturdy ramp to place over the steps to allow wheelchairs or those with a walking aid to get to the front door without having to contend with any steep or unstable stairs. Alternatively, if you are thinking about a more permanent solution, you could invest and get a concrete ramp and rails fitted outside the porch. You could also look at getting an outdoor stairlift fitted so the steps can remain in place but those who may need it can access the stairs with ease.
You could also look at clearing a spacious path to a level back door or area around the back of the home that doesn’t have stairs to give the user an alternative way to access the home should they need it.
Create a wet room
When bathrooms are wet, they can become dangerous and slippery. Creating a wet room that has designated areas, plenty of space for movement and comes equipped with rails and safety features is a much better option.
Think about removing shower cubicles and creating one large, tiled room that is watertight and dedicate a space in one corner for the shower that is also big enough for a shower chair to be maneuvered or a shower seat to be fitted. Bathrooms can also be adapted to create more space around baths, sinks and toilets so those with aids or wheelchairs don’t find it difficult to move about.
Create floor space
Floor space or space to move about a home easily and freely can be a real sticking point for those with mobility worries. Not only is clutter an unnecessary furniture tripping hazard, but it will also keep those within the home from using the space to its full potential and from wheelchairs between one room to another freely.
One easy way to make your home more accessible is to de-clutter your most-used spaces to make the rooms bigger and create more floor space. Floor space means more room to maneuver and fewer hazards to cause accidents.
Widen doorways
This option is one that comes with a few more costs but is definitely a great option for those that spend a frequent amount of time within their home and use aids like wheelchairs or walking aids. Most doorways within homes can be narrow and this can become a problem for those who may need to access other rooms with a wide wheelchair or a little more room.
If you have large rooms and plenty of spare wall space, widening doorways can be a relatively quick and simple change to your home that will allow people to be in the home alone knowing they can access every room and that those rooms are safe and secure for their aids.
Install a home stair lift
If you have a two or three story home, then stairs can become a big problem in older age or for those who struggle moving freely, so thinking about other options is always a good idea. For most, the simplest solution is to install a home stair lift to make getting up and down the stairs incredible easy and safe. Handicare USA has a range of cost-effective solutions to make everyday life easier.
Offering curved, straight, and outdoor lifts, Handicare USA has the perfect lift for any home, no matter what sort of stairs you have. They also supply fixed and portable ceiling lifts and floor and stand-to-sit lifts for those who may need them in the bedroom or around the home.
If you’re looking for ways to adapt your home and make it more accessible for those who live within it, then hopefully some of these points have given you a few ideas and a bit of inspiration. For more tips, advice, and articles, take a look at our blog section.
