If you plan to have an elderly family member move in with you, or if he or she is going to be a frequent visitor, you may want to make your new home more accommodating once your interstate movers have left. Here are four helpful modifications that you can make.
Allow for Wheelchair Access
If your senior loved one is confined to a wheelchair or walker, PayingForSeniorCare.com notes that you can make your home easier to enter and get around in by adding a ramp and push-button door openers. You may also want to widen the doorways and hallways and add a transfer bench to the shower.
Prevent Falls
You can help decrease the risk of your elderly family member falling by adding rails in hallways, along the perimeter of rooms and in the bathrooms or other areas that may be slippery.PayingForSeniorCare.com recommends adding non-skid strips as well in this case. PRWeb.com also suggests removing throw rugs or tying them down so they don't slide around.
Put Everything Within Reach
All of the necessary items in the kitchen, like plates and silverware, should be easily accessible without your relative having to strain, climb or bend down. Put the forks and knives in a drawer that's about as high as the hip. The essential tableware should go in a cabinet that's at eye-level.
Control the Temperature
Elderly people are more vulnerable to changes in temperature, so make sure your home has weatherproof windows and go over any cracks with caulking. During the summer months, have an air conditioner or take natural measures to cool off your home, like installing awnings over windows to block the sun.
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