Making Your Home Accessible In Your Later Years

Making Your Home More Accessible in Your Later Years

As we age, our physical abilities can change and even if you are an active senior, sometimes it is nice to make things as easy and accessible as possible. Ensuring your home is accessible can greatly enhance your quality of life and help you remain independent.

Join Alfix in Warwick as we take a look at some ways to make your home accessible in your later years.

Bathroom Modifications

Many accidents occur in the bathroom, normally centred around the bath and shower when water makes the room slippery. This can be especially hazardous if you have limited ability, however certain adjustments can be made throughout to increase your safety in the bathroom.

Installing accessibility features such as grab bars, walk-in showers, and non-slip tiles and seats can help to prevent slips and falls. For those who prefer baths over showers, you might consider a walk-in bath with safety plugs to prevent overfilling, which are designed with accessibility in mind.

Going to the toilet is a necessary process that we often take for granted when we are younger. Although it is an essential part of everyday life, we don’t tend to think how fortunate it is to move unassisted. As you get older, you might find that the standard toilet is too low and causes your joints to ache. Replacing a standard toilet with a taller one can provide greater comfort and reduce joint pain; opt for solutions designed to provide comfort like those with 17 to 19 inches of height.

Kitchen Considerations

While your kitchen is an important part of your home, it has a lot of items and machines that can be difficult to use as you get older. Consider investing in the following solutions to make life in the kitchen easier for you in your old age:

• A perching stool – This can be used to sit at a near-standing position to assist you while you are cooking, making a hot drink or doing the washing up.
• A kettle tipper – These help you pour the kettle easier, reducing the risk of being scolded by boiling water.
• A spike board – This helps you to peel vegetables one-handed if you struggle to grip both a vegetable and a peeler at the same time.

Bedroom Modifications

Your bedroom is your place of peace and relaxation, so you want to make sure it’s accessible to ensure this peace is kept. An adjustable bed can lower and raise at will, meaning you can easily get on and off it without much effort. Equally, having a nightstand at a similar height to your bed can also help, with essential items at easy reach in case you need them.

As you get older, your eyesight may begin to deteriorate. If you’re struggling to see objects that are in front of you, this could put you at risk of bumping into things in your home, especially when getting out of bed when it’s dark.

To combat this, you might consider installing motion-sensor lights that automatically turn on when you enter a room or get out of bed. This will help you to see where you are going and reduce the risk of slips and falls.

Moving Around Your Home

Wheelchair Accessibility

While rearranging your furniture can help, some houses are just not built with accessibility in mind. If you need wheelchair accessibility, you might need to think carefully about how to adapt your home.

This could include widening doorways, which will allow wheelchairs and walkers to easily pass through them. Another tip could be to lower countertops in the kitchen, making things easier to reach.

Stairlift Installation

One way of staying independent and making your home accessible is to install a stairlift. Rather than having to move your whole bedroom downstairs, a stairlift is a great solution if you want to continue living in a home with more than one floor.

Getting up and down the stairs can be a lot of effort when you grow older. While an extra bannister rail may be helpful for some, a stairlift can help you get up and down your stairs much easier, saving your energy for more important tasks and reducing your risks of tripping on the stairs.

At Alfix, we offer a range of new and used stairlifts, including curved stairlifts and straight stairlifts, so you can find one that perfectly fits your home.

Getting In and Out of Your Home

If you have stairs or steps leading up to your front door, you could install a handrail or a ramp to make entering and exiting your property easier. If you have a particularly large step between your door and the floor outside, then you might also want to consider adding an anti-slip half step outside, reducing the distance you have to step down to.

You could also think about adding an outdoor light to help you make your way inside when it’s dark. It’s best to position it so that when the light is triggered it won’t disturb your sleep or annoy your neighbours.

Bespoke Stairlift Installation in Warwick

If you’re looking to make your home more accessible in your later years, Alfix can help. We are able to provide our customers with bespoke stairlift installations, both for permanent and rental stairlifts. We can offer a great selection of custom stairlifts for your home, whether you need a straight or curved stairlift or models that are useful in limited space. If you’d like to find out more about how we can help,then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today for more details.