As the baby boomers are starting to move into their senior years, many are finding that they need to make some home modifications that will help to increase their mobility throughout this stage in their lives.
You can easily make some simple modifications to your home that will allow you to stay in your home for as long as possible. Here are 5 home helpers that will allow you to increase mobility:
# 1 – The bathroom
Unfortunately many elderly individuals fall in the bathroom due to slippery surfaces and inadequate grab bars. You should purchase a raised toilet seat that includes grab bars next to it. This will allow you to get up and down easier when you are using the restroom. Here are some great selections for the bathroom
In addition to a raised toilet seat, it will do you some good to install grab bars in the shower. Adding a grab bar will provide you with stability in a wet environment. You also need to install a hand-held shower device so you can move it around as you sit in the shower instead of stand. Seated shower chairs will also be useful so you don’t have to pull yourself up after you have finished showering.
# 2 – The kitchen
Once you make the bathroom a little bit safer, head into the kitchen and give it a few mobility upgrades. Multi-level countertops will come in handy if you need to use a wheelchair or power scooter to get around your home. Re-arrange where you keep your cups, silverware, and plates so you can easily access them instead of climbing on stools to reach them out of the top cabinets. Consider removing the island from your kitchen to make it easier to get around in a wheelchair or scooter as you continue to age.
# 3 – Accessibility to your home
Since you may be in a wheelchair or your joints will be unable to carry you up and down stairs, make your home as assessable as possible. Install a ramp into your home from the deck and other doors that lead into your home. Wider doorways will help if you need to drive a scooter in and out of the home. Move your bedroom to the main floor where you can have access to a bathroom, shower, and the kitchen. This may require a home renovation, but you will be able to easily survive in your home for a longer duration.
# 4 – Mobility aid bars
Hand rails are necessary to get around your home, especially when you are climbing up stairs. Hand railings in the hallways will make it easier for you to maneuver around tight corners and when others are trying to squeeze past you.
If you aren’t quite ready to purchase a taller toilet, or raise your chairs, etc., you should consider installing a security pole instead. A security pole offers you the ability to grab on and pull yourself up from a seated position. This may be helpful in a room where you spend a lot of time, like next to your living room couch or even next to your bed. The security bar can be moved to any location in your home, and it is incredibly slim so it can fit in tight areas like in between your bed and the nightstand.
# 5 – Outlets and light switches
Take notice of all the small things in your home that may become hard to reach in a couple more years. Light switches will be difficult to reach if you are in a wheelchair so you need to have them lowered to a level where you can reach them. Raise the outlets up so you can reach them when you need to plug things in.
Help support this ad free blog by answering several questions about caregiving here. It will take just two minutes.
About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visithttp://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.
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| #1 place for falls |
Unfortunately many elderly individuals fall in the bathroom due to slippery surfaces and inadequate grab bars. You should purchase a raised toilet seat that includes grab bars next to it. This will allow you to get up and down easier when you are using the restroom. Here are some great selections for the bathroom
In addition to a raised toilet seat, it will do you some good to install grab bars in the shower. Adding a grab bar will provide you with stability in a wet environment. You also need to install a hand-held shower device so you can move it around as you sit in the shower instead of stand. Seated shower chairs will also be useful so you don’t have to pull yourself up after you have finished showering.
# 2 – The kitchen
Once you make the bathroom a little bit safer, head into the kitchen and give it a few mobility upgrades. Multi-level countertops will come in handy if you need to use a wheelchair or power scooter to get around your home. Re-arrange where you keep your cups, silverware, and plates so you can easily access them instead of climbing on stools to reach them out of the top cabinets. Consider removing the island from your kitchen to make it easier to get around in a wheelchair or scooter as you continue to age.
# 3 – Accessibility to your home
Since you may be in a wheelchair or your joints will be unable to carry you up and down stairs, make your home as assessable as possible. Install a ramp into your home from the deck and other doors that lead into your home. Wider doorways will help if you need to drive a scooter in and out of the home. Move your bedroom to the main floor where you can have access to a bathroom, shower, and the kitchen. This may require a home renovation, but you will be able to easily survive in your home for a longer duration.
# 4 – Mobility aid bars
Hand rails are necessary to get around your home, especially when you are climbing up stairs. Hand railings in the hallways will make it easier for you to maneuver around tight corners and when others are trying to squeeze past you.
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| Helps a person stand and provides security and stability. No installation necessary |
# 5 – Outlets and light switches
Take notice of all the small things in your home that may become hard to reach in a couple more years. Light switches will be difficult to reach if you are in a wheelchair so you need to have them lowered to a level where you can reach them. Raise the outlets up so you can reach them when you need to plug things in.
Help support this ad free blog by answering several questions about caregiving here. It will take just two minutes.
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| Call us. We're here to help. |
About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visithttp://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.
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