If you have a senior living with you at home, then you must invest in the right home modifications that will make things easier for both you and them. There are many ways to improve your home to make it elderly-friendly and there are some technologies more worthy of investment than others.
Home modifications for the elderly focus mainly on ensuring their safety and comfort. Investing in these will make it very easy for the person to live well and without worries inside your home. Of course, you’ll benefit from it too as you’ll have less to worry about.
As there are many technologies worth investing in, we’ll narrow down your choices by talking about some of the modifications that you should focus on getting first.
Access Ramps
Access ramps are home modifications that those on wheelchairs cannot live without. A common misconception is that you need to place access ramps all over the house. In truth, however, an access ramp at the entrance to the house would be done already.
Ramps are not heavy investments for your home. You can add access ramps to your home on your own given that you have the right tools. These aren’t just for the elderly, they can be for those who are injured as well. They serve multiple functions to the house.
Carpeted Flooring
When you have someone at home that’s old, it’s best to have carpeted flooring as compared to wooden planks and natural stone tiles. Wooden planks wear out over time and they can get tiny wedges that could cause old people to trip. Tiles on the other hand get slippery when they are wet.
Carpeted flooring is the best option for the elderly as they have more friction then tiles and they develop fewer crevices than wooden planks.
If you already have carpeted flooring but it has become old and shaggy, it’s best to have it replaced. Carpets that have longer naps can cause seniors to trip over. Make sure that the carpeting is as glued to the floors as possible for extra safety.
Home Lifts
Back in the days, a very popular home modification for the elderly is chair lifts. However, if you want something more stylish, efficient, and safe, you may want to invest in a home lift. While a bit on the higher end of the price tag, home lifts are highly functional and great for the elderly.
The best way to describe home lifts is that they are elevators for your home. According to Stiltz Home Lifts, they are much safer than regular chair lifts because there’s an enclosure that prevents the rider from falling off. More and more people are investing in this because it is a more practical choice.
Surprisingly, home lifts don’t take up too much space in the house. They are installed at the corner of rooms and since they fit one person mostly, you don’t need to a lot a big space for it. Most home lifts are modular so they are very easy to install in a home as well.
Wider Doorways
This might seem like a minor adjustment but trust us, it goes a long way for the elderly. One thing worth noting is that the elderly are often assisted by mobility equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers. If you have slim doors, it will be harder for you and them to get through the rooms in the house.
If they are using a wheelchair, this means having to stand up for a while as you collapse the gear so that it passes through the door. Walkers are much easier to handle but even then, they can be a bother to fit through the doors if they are too wide.
Wider doorways increase the accessibility of the elderly inside the house. You won’t even need to help them out if they want to move room to room. This is one of the simplest yet most efficient home modifications you can do to make home living more comfortable for those inside the house.
Bathroom Handles
A commonplace for accidents inside the house is the bathroom. This shouldn’t come as a surprise as the tiles on the room do get slippery when they get wet. Most of the elderly need assistance if they are going to use the bathroom. One way to make trips there safer for them is to install bathroom handles.
Bathroom handles are bars that can be installed on the walls of the bathroom. They serve as hand support for the elderly when they are walking around. This makes it less likely for them to slip and fall. These can be installed inside the shower area, as well as on the walls that surround the toilet.
While you’re at it, make sure that your bathrooms don’t have elevated tiles going into the shower area. Walk-in showers are preferred if you have someone of old age inside the house.
Medical Alert Systems
The key to ensuring the safety of seniors inside the house if keeping an eye on them 24/7. Understandably, it’s tough to do this especially if you have other stuff to do. Moreover, some people prefer living their life independently. For these reasons, we highly suggest investing in an alert system, after you have reviewed the best medical alert systems on the market.
To put it simply, a medical alert system is an alarm technology that notifies emergency contacts and even medical personnel of problems at home. For example, if your grandfather slips and no one is around to assist them, they can call for help with the push of a button.
With regards to safety, this is one of the best things you can install in your home. This makes it easier, even for you to respond to serious emergencies that could otherwise go unnoticed.
Outfitting your home with these modifications is a must if you have seniors living with you. These will make it easier for you and them to live a more comfortable and worry-free life.
