Seniors who have a desire to age in place need to live in an easily accessible home. Trying to navigate through a home with cluttered floors, stairs that are difficult to climb, raised entryways and more are unsafe and inconvenient. Simply installing a wheelchair ramp can make a huge difference for seniors with mobility limitations. There are plenty of other methods to improve accessibility in and around your home as well. Consider these tips to make your home easier to navigate and to improve your independent living experience.
Create An Open Floor Concept
Most people can create a more open floor concept in their home by rearranging their furniture and other items. Take a look around the common walk areas like your hallways, dining room, living room and kitchen and see what could be shifted to make mobility a little easier. Shifting a cabinet or standing shelf a few feet over could make it easier to get through so you don’t have to compromise your balance. Think also about rugs, cords and other possible trip hazards and move them out of the way or remove them completely to allow easier access into rooms.
Make Entryways Easier To Access
Entryways are often difficult for seniors to navigate. Installing a permanent or temporary threshold ramp over raised entryways can prevent accidental tripping and falling since the surface is smoother. And whether you have just a single step or multiple steps to go up and down to enter your home, a wheelchair ramp can create a safer way to enter and exit the home. Lifting your feet to go up and down a small slope of a wheelchair ramp is safer than lifting your feet a few inches to climb stairs. The easier it is to get through entryways, the more likely you’ll be to access other areas of the home.
Don’t Forget About Outdoor Living
As the weather gets warmer, outdoor living may become more common for you. A pool lift is a great accessibility product if you have a swimming pool and like to relax by it. You can easily and safely put yourself in the water without the risk of slipping and falling in. Also, if you have an outdoor deck or patio, consider installing a wheelchair ramp, stair lift or other accessibility devices to help you get to different areas of your yard. Outdoor living is important for seniors living at home as it stimulates the body and mind, so don’t forget about making your outdoor space accessible as well.
Next Day Access is here to help make your home more accessible. Whether it’s installing a simple wheelchair ramp or doing a full evaluation of your home to make every area accessible, we have the products to make your vision and desires a reality. Give us a call today to schedule a free home assessment and we can recommend the perfect products to keep you safe by making your home more accessible.
