We will enter our golden years sooner or later, it’s just a fact of life. And this is, of course, not easy at all – quite the opposite really. You need to make life easier for yourself, or your elderly loved ones and one of the best ways you can do that is by adjusting your home properly. And this is where this article comes in. Below you can find some ways, some tips and tricks, on how you can adjust your home to suit an elderly person.
General accessibility
There are many ways you can make an old, or new, home accessible. You might want to get some extra handrails at the entrance, or maybe get smaller (shorter) stairs. A wheelchair ramp might be very useful. In fact, wheelchair ramps are pretty easy to add while still staying inconspicuous, you just have to plan ahead. Of course, if you’re a parent or loved ones need a bigger, stronger wheelchair, they will need a stronger, bigger ramp. Now, this all goes for the exterior. Interior areas are much more difficult since you will need to widen your hallways.
Think about whether you can get a good stairlift or some sort of mobility assistance device. A solid lift can help your parent up a greater flight of stairs, all the while being comfortable and safe.
The bathroom
Another thing you can try is setting up the bathroom. Things like safety rails, grab rails, suction mats, wheelchair accessibility, all of these things are vital and important if you want to keep your loved ones safe.
Another thing you can try is getting a bidet. Just look at the many benefits of an electric bidet and you’ll see how life-changing it can actually be for an elderly loved one. Namely one of the most difficult parts of entering our golden age isn’t really the frailty we acquire but rather, the lack of independence this frailty fosters. Well, a bidet is excellent because it makes it much easier to take care of themselves, and their hygienic issues.
Furthermore, a bidet can actually help with a variety of health issues you might have in your old age. A bidet can help relax your muscles through a jet of warm water, helping you if you have constipation issues. It can also assist people who are suffering from hemorrhoids, not forcing them to use toilet paper too much and aggravating said issue, instead of allowing them to just stick to the warm jet of water.
Think about your high traffic rooms
There are two very popular rooms in every single home – the kitchen and the bathroom. Now, we have already dealt with the bathroom, but now we are going to talk about the rest. Namely, high traffic rooms are rooms that, obviously, see lots of traffic.
Suitable adjustments need to be made if you want to help your loved ones. Of course, the actual adjustments you need to do depend on your loved one and how independent they are (not). For example, you can get a lipless shower, just to be safe when it comes to tripping. Another thing you should keep in mind is that the kitchen is a very hazardous, problematic place. High, tall cabinets, cluttered countertops, all of these pose a serious risk.
So, maybe lower your cabinets, and keep the place tidy. Round up the corners, see what you can do with that. A sharp corner can really hurt somebody, especially if they end up slipping and falling.
Keep an eye on your floors. They might be too slippery, posing a significant danger. Shiny, lacquered hardwood floors are nice and all, but they can be a bit too much for an elderly individual who might slip, fall, and break their hip.
Conclusion
And there you have it folks, a couple of ways you can set up your home to suit an elderly person you care about deeply. Set up your bathroom properly and, if needed, add some new additions, like a bidet or safety grab bars. Examine your high traffic rooms, like the kitchen or living room, and adapt them properly as well. Remember, it’s all about building independence and comfort.
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Bio: Patrick Adams is a freelance writer and rock-blues fan. When he is not writing about home improvement, he loves to play chess, watch basketball, and play his guitar. More than anything, he loves to spend his time in his garage, repairing appliances and creating stuff from wood.