Four Ways to Make Your Home More Accessible

Whether you’re looking to improve your home and make it more comfortable as you age, or you have someone in your family with limited mobility, making your home more accessible is always a good option. It will make it much easier for you or your loved ones to move around your home, reduce your overall worry and stress. Your home should be your sanctuary, so ensuring that it is somewhere you can navigate without complications is essential for ensuring you can enjoy your home as much as possible. Here are my top four ways to make your home more accessible without breaking the bank:

1. Installing a Stairlift
While buying a stair lift is a considerable financial investment, it is much more affordable than going through the hassle of selling your home and buying a new one. For this reason it features high on my list as it allows you to turn your beloved home into somewhere you and your family can enjoy for decades to come. Another benefit about buying a stair lift is that you’re able to modify your existing staircase to suit your needs, allowing the overall style and aesthetic of your stair lift to remain the same. If you have a multi level home, this is by far the most affordable option for making it more accessible. 

2. Ditch Those Steps

Now you’ve converted your main staircase into an accessible staircase, you’ll need to consider any other stairs you have in your home. Do you have stairs in the entrance way? Or perhaps you have a set of steps leading into your backyard. Wherever they are, a quick and easy fix is transforming these small steps into a ramp. Having a ramp will make it easy to use a variety of walking tools, such as a cane, wheelchair or even a mobility scooter. For many of us with reduced mobility or strength, stairs are a hazard and a fall could result in severe breaks and lengthy recovery periods. For that reason, it is worth getting rid of any steps and converting them to a ramp where possible.

3. Update Your Bathroom

If your mobility is reduced, then you know that maintaining your independence while showering can be one of life’s biggest struggles. There are some simple fixtures you can add to your bathroom to make it more comfortable to bathe yourself and maintain your independence for as long as possible. If you enjoy a bath, then a step in style bath tub could be a worthwhile investment, or a shower that you can walk into rather than having to climb into. Adding in rails in key areas can also make your bathroom more accessible.

4. Change Your Doorknobs
As you age, doorknobs can become a particular challenge, especially if your hands are shaky and you don’t have as much strength. For that reason it can be worthwhile investing in lever style door handles that can make it substantially easier to enter a room. If you have a generous budget, then you might want to look into the option of installing automatic style doors that open with the touch of a button. 

I hope these four ways to make your home more accessible inspire you to make changes around your home that allow you and your loved ones to be more comfortable.