What You Should Know: Home Safety for Seniors and the Disabled

Even in their own homes, the elderly might experience tough times.
Because of the condition of their bodies, they might have limited access to certain areas.
They have to be very careful with each movement that they make because of their condition.
The same challenges are faced by those who are disabled.
They have limited access not just in public places, but sometimes, even in their own homes.
Because their place was not designed with their handicap in mind, living there might give them a hard time.
Home Safety and Better Access This is the reason why home safety and improved access for people is an important thing for seniors and those who are handicapped.
Their places should be designed and modified in such a way that it would accommodate their problems.
Ideas for Better Access in Homes Here are some ideas that could be used in improving the overall accessibility of a house.
These tips can be very useful in households where there are older people or those with handicap.
Stairs- In any home, the stairs would pose the biggest challenge to someone who has some type of disability and to elderly people.
The danger and risk in walking up a staircase is just way too great.
It can be a serious problem.
The best solution for the stair problem is to attach rails on the side of the stairs to make it accessible for most people.
These rails should be at hip height and should be firm.
A person should be able to grasp the rail with one hand.
Doorways- Navigating narrow doorways can be a problem as well for older people and those with disability.
It can be a serious problem to those who have to rely on wheelchairs in order to move around.
They might be limited by it.
The best solution for this is to construct the doorways to be wide enough so that they can accommodate the passing of wheelchairs.
Bathrooms- Accidental falling is a leading cause of death for seniors and it usually happens in the bathroom.
They have less control of their body and their muscles are not firm and sometimes the slippery floor might be too much.
The best way to ensure that the elderly and those with disabilities could use the bathroom properly is to install handrails all around it.
That would give them a way of hanging on firmly.
The use of non-slip tiles on the floor could also help.
Knobs- Handling of regular door knobs can be a challenge for those with arthritis.
If you're an elderly person chances are that you have this condition already.
This problem can be prevented with the use of knobs that are specially designed for people with arthritis.
Floors- It is not just the floor on the bathroom which can be a serious problem.
The flooring on the rest of the house can be a serious threat as well if it is too slippery.
You should use a material that can provide more traction.