How To Make Your House More Accessible For An Elderly Relative

Taking the necessary steps to make your home accessible for an elderly relative can be a daunting task. However, with some planning, you can ensure that your home is both safe and comfortable for them. There are several modifications that you can make in order to make living more enjoyable and easier for your aging loved one. This blog post will discuss the most important ones.

Add Stairlifts 

When you're thinking of ways to make your home more accessible for an elderly relative, adding a stairlift can quickly improve their day-to-day lives. The installers working at Stiltz Lifts New Zealand know how much hassle they take away making every day easier for everyone in the family. These machines provide an easy, safe solution to climbing stairs, making it easier for your loved one to access living quarters on the upper levels of the house. 

The models available have advanced in recent years, with features that make them an excellent investment. From silent motors and foldable seats to comfortable cushions and track lighting, stairlifts provide accessibility without needing to focus on how your relative will navigate a staircase. Adding a stairlift brings peace of mind that the elderly relative in your home is able to access all parts of the house safely and easily.

Move The Furniture Around

When working to make your house more accessible for an elderly relative, one of the most important yet often forgotten steps is to move the furniture around. This can help them walk more easily around the house and is especially important with larger furniture pieces that take up a lot of space in hallways and other pathways. Sofas, recliners, and even beds may need to be moved out of the way so that an elderly person can navigate without difficulty. 

Additionally, smaller items like rugs or trinkets should also be taken into account while rearranging furniture because they can easily trip someone. Smartly placing the furniture throughout the house can provide easier access for the elderly relative and ultimately a better home environment for everyone.

Remove Trip Hazards 

In an effort to make a house more accessible for an elderly relative, one of the most important things that you can do is eliminate tripping hazards from the home. This includes common potential risks such as the following: 

• clutter
• loose rugs
• uneven flooring
• cords and cables
• low furniture
• poor lighting
• stairs
• pets
• wet or slippery surfaces 

These can cause accidents and falls. Even small rugs and mats should be secured with double-sided tape or rubber mats to prevent slipping, which is particularly dangerous for older adults. Taking the time to inspect and adjust any tripping hazards can help ensure safety in the home and reduce fall risk in an elderly relative.

Build Ramps 

One of the most important steps people can take to make their home more accessible for elderly relatives is to build a ramp. Having a ramp in place can make it easier for your relative to move around the house and access different levels. With modern construction techniques and materials, ramps are often easy to construct and relatively affordable. 

If you have limited space on your property, you can also find various solutions such as foldable or telescoping ramps that may work better for your specific needs. This may be one of the simplest and most effective ways of making sure everyone in your family is able to move easily.

Get A Raised Toilet 

One great way to start making your house more accessible for an elderly relative is by getting a raised toilet. A raised toilet allows easier access and the risk of falls is greatly decreased. These toilets are usually between four and eight inches taller than traditional models, making it much easier for an elderly person to stand back up from a seated position. In addition to this, these toilets also make use of ergonomic deals that make it even more comfortable for an elderly relative to use the bathroom with greater ease. This small change can bring about huge improvements in the safety and well-being of an elderly family member in your home.

Install Grab Bars

To ensure their safety and independence, installing grab bars in a house is a crucial step in making it more accessible for an elderly relative. They can provide reliable support and leverage in navigating common areas around the home, such as bathrooms, stairs, or near beds. 

Moreover, when coupled with slip-resistant mats and antiskid treads, modern grab bars make beautiful storytelling elements to any space – whether you opt for sleek stainless steel models or warm wooden varieties. This will enable your elderly relative to live more independently and goes a long way to improving their quality of life.

Elderly relatives in our homes deserve to benefit from the same level of comfort, dignity, and safety that we experience. Making sure your home is accessible for them can be as simple as installing grab bars, adding stairlifts, or building ramps. Even something as minor as moving furniture around and removing trip hazards can make a huge difference. Taking the necessary steps to make their homes more comfortable doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming.