If you or someone you know has had mobility issues and are struggling to get around your own home, then you could be putting yourself at risk from trips and falls. However, you can minimise this risk by making it easier to get around your home, and by making your home safer. Age UK is a great resource and can offer you further advice as to your options.
Here are a few easy things that you can do to help make your home more accessible for you.
Answering the Door
If it takes you a long time to get to the door when someone knocks, then you may benefit greatly from something like an intercom system. This allows you to talk to the person that is at your door and let them in remotely, without having to leave where you are sitting. You could alternatively have a key safe, where a key is left in a secure deposit box, and only those who know the code can use it.
Access to Your Home
You may find it difficult getting in and out of your home, especially if there are steps. However, there are options for you to make it easier. You could install a rail for you to balance yourself with on the way in or out, or, if you’re a wheelchair user, you could have a ramp installed. If there isn’t enough space around your door, you may have to have a wheelchair lift instead.
Inside your home, you may use a walker or a wheelchair, but if you don’t have enough room to move around, then it can make life very difficult. Door frames can be widened to allow easy access and doors can be hung so they swing the opposite way to create more room.
Getting Up and Down the Stairs
Getting up and down the stairs needn’t be as hard as it is at the moment. There are several ways that you can improve the process depending on your needs. You could fit another rail or an extra banister, or you could install a stairlift. Take a look at Stairlift Quote for the range of different types of chair that are available. Choose one that suits your needs, which may include a swivel chair, easy-to-use controls and safety features. If you’re a wheelchair user, you may be able to install a wheelchair lift, though these may be much bulkier and installation may depend on the layout of your home.
Alternatively, you could limit your movements to one floor of your home. Adding an extension will be subject to planning permission, but it could make your life much easier.
