If you've got a family member with mobility constraints, then you need to make a number of adjustments to make your home more easily accessible to them. Making such changes in your home would also allow you to become more independent even as you grow older. It'll be a lot easier for them to see and move easily around the house without requiring any assistance. So if you're planning on making your home more accessible, then here are a few ways to do just that.
Adding a home extension
One of the best ways of keeping a physically challenged member comfortable is by building a home extension. A home extension is a good way of keeping them close to the home while giving them all the privacy and freedom that they desire. Additionally, if you build an extension and properly preparing it for them, you could incorporate all the essentials the person needs on one floor.
However, you need to ensure that the extension is properly prepared. Don't forget to install the desired plumbing fittings. They should be easy to manipulate and require very little effort.
You should also connect the extension to the rest of the home for the person to feel like a part of the family. They should be able to easily access the living room, so the connection doors should be large enough to accommodate a wheelchair.
Installing mobility aids around the home
Since you've got a physically challenged person around, ensure your home has got no barriers to movement. For the stairs, you could install rails that the physically challenged person can grab when climbing. If the person uses a wheelchair, then you can install a portable ramp that can be placed on the stairs and then removed afterwards. You could also have a ramp to your front door to make it easier to reach on a wheelchair.
If it's difficult to manoeuvre each room comfortably, then you can have the door frames widened, or the structure of the door tweaked to allow swinging in the opposite direction. That will prevent blocking the path of the disabled.
Increase safety
You also need to improve the security of your home. Having a pager alarm, for instance, can increase safety. It could beep you when the disabled member has gotten out of bed and not returned after a certain time frame.
You can also have an automatic light with motion detectors that lights up the path as someone nears the house. This would make it easier to see any obstacles in the dark.
Also install carbon monoxide and gas detectors to alert the disabled of an emergency early enough. That way, they'll have enough time to escape.
For assistance, talk to a home extension professional.
