Learn how to develop important home modifications that will enhance the daily living of the impaired mobility of the impaired mobilities. If it is the elderly in your family or it is you that is experiencing limited mobility due age, a disability or an injury, it is important to design the dwelling to be safe and comfortable. The good news is that there are several ways in which these changes can be made – from rudimentary range to complex installations. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the future of home accessibility and how you can make your home environment more comfortable and manageable.
Installing a Chair Lift for Stairs
Stairs are one of the most difficult things for people with mobility problems to cope with or avoid. Stairs are a major issue that may challenge your ability to access different floors in your home and this will lead to frustration. A simple and effective solution is installing a chair lift for stairs.
A chair lift is a mechanical platform which transports an individual from one floor to another – you are seated in the ‘chair’ as you are moved up. This can help people who might have disorders such as arthritis, knee problems, or general weakness and would find it Complicated and risky to use stairs. There are various forms of chair lifts depending on the interior design of your house and hence, no need to change the design of your interior to allow easy access to the upper floor or other parts of the house.
There are also many different types of chair lifts but the most basic one is the straight stair lifts while the others are the curved chair lift to be used on curved staircases. A chair lift gives the individuals the ability to function independently, live in a house which has been designed to accommodate them.
Widening Doorways for Easier Access
Another important adjustment made is in making the doors wider to accommodate wheelchairs or even walkers. If you or someone in your household needs a mobility device, then an ordinary door can turn into a rather significant barrier. It is extremely effective to widen doorways to make the entry easier to make it easier to access areas like the bathroom, bedroom, and hallways.
Licensed contractors can quickly widen door openings, or even take out the whole door frame and make a wider door opening so that a wheelchair or walker can get through easily. This change doesn’t have to be major – as little as a few extra inches can dramatically improve the situation. We also recommend allowing for the possibility to change normal doors to sliding ones as it is more convenient for persons having limited ability to move or to open the doors.
Installing Grab Bars and Handrails
Bathrooms and the other sections of your home can be made safer by putting up grab bars and handrails. They also contribute to client confidence while walking particularly in areas of threat such as bathroom, kitchen or stairs.
These are fixed fixtures normally in the regions that are slippery around toilets, bathtubs and in showers to enable people to get support when standing or even sitting. Additional features, which you may find convenient are handrails mounted along the walls or stairs for support during a walk.
The two fixtures should be installed by installation specialists because they must bear the required weight and should be fixed properly. This addition may look very small and unimportant but, in fact, it will reduce the rate of slip, fall and accident and your home would be safer and more manageable.
Ramps Instead of Steps
Further for the disabled people and patients who have problems with the movement of their lower limbs, climbing stairs can become a severe problem. If there is a set of steps leading up to your home entrance it may be necessary to consider installing a ramp. It means that ramps give a smooth passage for wheelchairs, walkers, baby strollers and anyone else who needs a barrier-free path in your home.
Ramps can also be of different forms depending on the method of installation; portable ramps, permanent ramps among others. It should therefore be considered on the possible slope and width of the ramp to enable the disabled have a safe and comfortable ride. A proper ramp is also going to have a nice gradual incline so that the individual using the ramp is not going to have a very steep ramp to navigate and this is very important because those with mobility issues will need proper access. When you install a ramp at your home’s front door, people with disabilities or those who have restricted mobility will not feel confined from getting in or out of the house.
Modifying the Bathroom for Accessibility
Bathrooms are usually the most hazardous areas of the homes because slip and fall incidents often happen in showers, or near toilets. Making alterations to your bathroom can help reduce falls and make life easier for a disabled individual.
First, replacing the conventional bathtubs with the walk-in shower may be a good idea. Walk-in showers do not have or have very little lip or edge for an individual with mobility issues; one does not have to lift any of their feet to get into the shower. Another product that can be used in the bathroom is a Shower Chair. This is particularly helpful to people who cannot stand for long in the shower due to so many reasons.
You can also use a higher or lower model or a more accessible toilet in the form of a sitting and standing toilet. Furthermore, the use of non-slip floors also controls lighting which also avoids accidents in future.
Improving Lighting and Clutter-Free Spaces
It is therefore important that adequate lighting be provided so as to make the home accessible. This is so especially in an area that is poorly lit where persons with such disability or even anyone who needs a walking stick or other walking aid might be at risk of being injured. You should desire to have good lighting for the paths especially at the sections where there are stairs, halls or doors.
Also, one ought to take advantage of the motion sensing lights that are automatic and switch on when somebody comes into a room. These are specifically helpful in the washrooms or at the main entryways where somebody could be busy with some other item or may possibly have a problem reaching a switch.
Reducing the extraneous items that litter your home can also do a lot in the process. Insist on keeping doors to corridors or passageways clear of any furnishings, loose carpets or objects which may represent a tripping hazard. This also is helpful specifically to allow any motorized wheelchair, manual wheelchair, walker, or person with a cane to move around easily within the space.
In Summary
Making your home barrier free doesn’t necessarily mean you must embark on costly renovation projects. Even though some relatively simple changes are called for, such as a stair chair lift, wider doors, grab bars, or a change in the bathroom, every member of the household will benefit from a more secure and comfortable home. Planning for accessibility in your home is a good investment for everybody in the house irrespective of any disability they may be having.
Lastly, remember all those small but effective enhancements including the addition of the Shower Chair to make bathing safer and more comfortable. All these little changes can go along way to making the home easy to live in, comfortable and even enjoyable at times.