Having a disability or restricted mobility can make daily life difficult, which could leave you feeling lonely, affecting your overall wellbeing and mental health. This may be particularly true when your home doesn’t meet your needs, as it can make you feel trapped. But don’t despair as there are lots of ways a property can be adapted, to make your home work for you.
Altering the Entranceway
With restricted mobility, simply accessing or leaving your home can become a real challenge but there are adaptations that could help. This includes installing a ramp for wheelchair access, lowering the height of steps or door frame and installing handrails. In addition, adding a motion detector light could help with visibility, while if there’s space, a seat or grab rail could come in handy.
Making Your Home Functional
Along with the entrance, making the home accessible is an essential step and there’s loads of ways to do this. For example, installing different lighting controls, such as touch or tap systems, can make a real difference – so can making sockets higher or lower. Plus, if you can afford it, consider widening doorways and installing a remote video entry intercom.
Living Room
The living room is supposed to be the place you can relax and entertain but if you can’t navigate in this space, it can turn into a nightmare. To solve this, you could invest in a recliner chair that helps raise you to a standing position, install electric blinds that can be controlled by a remote, or select wheeled furniture that’s easy to move around.
Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of many homes and with a few clever adjustments, you can make it work for you. This includes bigger adjustments like lowering the sink and worktops, as well as smaller solutions such as a kettle tipper, specialist cooking utensils and tools, or keeping a stool or chair nearby.
Bathroom
Finally, with a bath, low toilet and slippery surfaces, the bathroom can be tough, too. While you could pay to get rid of your old bathroom and have a wet room installed, there’s also a lot of other adjustments you can make. For example, a toilet frame, hand rails in the shower and non-slip mats can be beneficial.
While companies like Mobility Solutions make adapted scooters to help you get out and about, for many people with limited mobility, the home can be their biggest obstacle. Hopefully these methods can be used to make your home work for your needs.
