If you decide to take in your aging parents or relative with a disability, safety is a prominent concern. Although your house may not look like a dangerous place at first glance, you’d be surprised to see the many hidden risks there are for the elderly and PWD around it. These can make it challenging for your aging or disabled loved ones to do their daily routines around the house safely.
Whether you already have a home or are looking for real estate companies to help you build your dream house, it pays to make it safer for your aging and disabled loved ones.
To help you out, here are the best features you can add to your home to make it elderly- and PWD-friendly, allowing everyone to live safely, confidently, and functionally while enjoying time with the whole family.
Install an Access Ramp Outside the Home
Installing a permanent access ramp on your home’s entryway outside allows your elderly parents or disabled relatives to go in and out of the house with their wheelchairs or walkers with ease. However, if you’re on a tight budget, you can opt for a portable ramp to cover steps or a threshold at the entrance of your home. Besides convenience, it can also prevent slips and falls.
Invest in a Chairlift
If you don’t have any rooms to let your disabled relative or elderly parent stay on the ground floor, consider investing in a home chairlift. It helps them go up and down the floors with ease, providing convenience and safety while helping them with their balance, knee or back problems, and other kinds of mobility challenges.
Install Proper Lighting Throughout the Home
Falls are notorious for being the number one cause of fatal injuries among elderly individuals. One factor that can help prevent this is by having appropriate lighting throughout the home to help your loved ones navigate the house with ease. It’s best if you invest in LED light bulbs as they save energy, last longer, and are brighter. You can also add night lights between your loved one’s bed and bathroom to avoid tripping or falling when they need to get up from bed during the night.
Invest in a Home Security System
If you have a job that requires you to go out of the house for prolonged periods, which leaves your disabled loved ones or aging parents at home alone at most times, consider investing in a reliable home security system. It can consist of smart door lock or alarm systems to ensure safety and security. You can also add in security cameras to help you see what’s happening around your house from your smartphone, allowing you to call in immediate help when you see your loved ones in a dangerous situation.
Add Grab Bars Throughout the Bathroom
Bathrooms are a dangerous place for older individuals and PWDs as most don’t have their balance, making them prone to falling more, which can be problematic on a bathroom’s slippery floors. You can avoid this by adding grab bars around your home’s restrooms. Make sure you install these bars properly into the walls’ studs so they can handle the entire weight of a person.
These modifications can make your house safer, functional, and a happier place for your elderly or disabled loved ones, making your humble abode a real ‘home’ for everyone to enjoy.
