How to make your home Senior friendly?
You might ask what the Senior-friendly mean! (make your home Senior friendly)
As we get aged, the mobility is the house we were used to living in our younger age would be more cumbersome.
A home that’s perfectly convenient for people in their 50s and 60’s can actually become an obstacle in their 70s and 80’s. The first tip in making our home more senior-friendly is to simply eliminate clutter
One of the best solutions is preventing accidental falls. Also, be sure to move lamp, extension and telephone cords out of pathways and remove any throw rugs that slide or tape them down. Another good tip is to add lighting everywhere. We might need twice as much light to see clearly as in our 40s. Full-spectrum bulbs are a good option because they can reduce glare. Also, consider replacing round doorknobs with levers and light switches with illuminating rocker switches. They’re easier to use for those with arthritis. And to better accommodate wheelchairs or walkers, we can easily widen the doorways (two inches) with inexpensive offset door hinges. It’s also wise to install handrails in hallways and wherever steps are present.
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Bathroom:
More home accidents happen in the bathroom than in any other room. Some solutions include:
-Bath/shower: Add non-skid mats both inside and outside the bath/shower to reduce the chances of slipping and falling. Install grab bars for additional support (they come in all styles and colours). And consider getting a hand-held, flexible shower head and a bath/shower chair for bathing comfort and safety.
-Sink: If you have arthritis or limited hand strength, replacing twist knobs with lever handle faucets can make a big difference.
-Toilet: If you have problems with leg strength or balance, adding a raised toilet seat extender (it adds two to four inches) and grab bars next to the toilet will make getting up and down a lot easier.
-Other tips: Install a water-resistant, wall-mounted phone in or near the bath/shower in case of a fall. To avoid burning yourself, add anti-scald devices or turn down the water heater to warm or 120 degrees. And don’t forget a nightlight for those middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom.
Kitchen:
This is another room that can cause a lot of physical stress on the body. Some correctable areas include:
-Lighting: Brighten up your counter-tops with easy-to-install under-cabinet task lighting
-Cabinets: Replace cabinet and drawer knobs with D-shaped handles. They’re more comfortable to grasp for those with arthritis. And replace cabinet shelves with sliding, pull-out shelves – this lets you easily access items.
-Appliances: If you’re in the market for new appliances, choose a refrigerator-freezer with side-by-side doors, so everything you use regularly can be placed at mid-shelf range. Dishwashers with a drawer design are easier to load and unload. And have it installed on a raised platform to eliminate bending over. Stoves that open from the side are easier to get into because you don’t have to lean over a hot door. And a countertop microwave is also easier to reach and safer versus one above the stove.
– Extras: Install a peg board with hooks for pots, pans and utensils that’s easy to get to, as opposed to bending over to retrieve them from lower cabinets. And get a “reacher” (18 to 36 inches) to reach items on high shelves.
Outside:
Install motion sensor lights outside the front and back doors and driveway so you’re never in the dark. Put a small table or shelf outside the entrance to hold packages while you unlock the door (remote control door locks are also available at moderate prices). And for walker or wheelchair users, there are easy-to-install add-on ramps for the front steps and mini ramps to go over high entrance thresholds.
You can visit the following link for more info: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,519817,00.html
