How Can Home Modifications Improve Accessibility and Safety?

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How Can Home Modifications Improve Accessibility
and Safety?
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• Home modifications are the physical changes made
  around your property to improve your independence
  in moving around the building and using
  appliances.
• These changes have several benefits for people
  with disabilities, like enhancing comfort,
  convenience, and confidence when completing daily
  tasks. But how does installing assistive
  technology improve safety and accessibility?
• Keep reading to discover why some minor home
  modifications could transform your or your loved
  ones residence into a safe sanctuary, boost your
  independence, and improve your quality of life.

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How Do Home Modifications Improve Accessibility?

• From a slippery bathroom floor to steep stairs,
  homes pose several potential risks and
  accessibility issues. Various minor and major
  home modifications can solve these problems and
  yield the following benefits
• Lowers Injury Risk
• According to Government research, most injuries
  requiring hospitalisation result from falls.
  Fitting grab rails, better lighting, and level
  flooring can lower these risks

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• For instance, hard flooring like wood or laminate
  help wheelchairs can move easily. People who find
  walking difficult are also less likely to trip.
  Meanwhile, grab rails enable you to lift and
  lower yourself onto objects autonomously without
  losing balance.
• Improves Independence
• Home modifications also work as part of a
  personalised care solution that prioritises your
  needs and goals, such as reigning independence.
  Rather than moving to an assisted living
  facility, adjustments allow you to remain at home
  and live more independently.
• For example, textured floor markings and long
  lever taps enable people with visual difficulties
  to navigate their homes more easily and complete
  everyday chores like cleaning and cooking without
  aid.

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• Boosts Confidence
• Home modifications improve peace of mind for not
  only yourself but also your loved ones. They can
  be confident knowing that you live in a safe,
  accessible environment where your needs are
  consistently being met.
• Biggest Risks in the Home For People with
  Disabilities
• The results of a survey conducted by an
  occupational therapist group suggest that
  the most important minor and complex
  modifications are in the bathroom. This area
  often has slippery, wet surfaces that cause
  tripping hazards for people with limited mobility.

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• Shower seats, bath doors, rails, and saucer
  switches that are reachable from lower positions
  enable you to use bathroom facilities securely,
  reducing the risk of injury.
• Home modifications are also vital to exits and
  entrances. These areas are sometimes restrictive
  in space with raised ledges. Door widening and
  increased lighting improve visibility and make
  passing through on a wheelchair or motorised
  mobility scooter easier.
• Key Home Modifications for People With
  Disabilities
• The home modifications that are best for you will
  depend on your independent needs. The National
  Disability Insurance Agencys (NDIA) occupational
  therapists provide a home modification service
  that assesses the changes that are most
  beneficial to your safety and accessibility.

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Below, weve listed some of the most common
alterations that can give you more freedom around
your home Bathroom Modifications A
raised-height toilet can make it easier to move
between seated aids or lower yourself to a seated
position, enabling you to handle personal needs
independently. Large step-free and curbless
showers can also be handy home modifications,
alongside walk-in bathtubs with an easy-to-open
entrance and exit flap for improved access.
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• Grab Bars
• Grab bars are an ideal and sturdy home
  modification solution for people who need support
  moving between standing and sitting positions.
  This assistive technology may be mounted to the
  wall or floor in various rooms and throughout
  hallways and can be adapted to your individual
  needs.
• Thresholds
• For people using wheelchairs, widening hallways
  is one of the most handy yet slightly more
  complex home modifications for entering and
  exiting rooms independently.
• Threshold ramps and plates make moving from one
  room to the other easier without assistance. You
  may also choose to remove thresholds altogether
  and create a level surface between rooms.

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• Flooring and lighting
• LED light bulbs are one of the most
  cost-effective but minor home modifications
  available, as they are brighter and require
  replacing less often than other bulbs. They can
  be installed in hallways, bathrooms, and other
  places with high fall risks.
• An electrician can also lower the height of light
  switches to make them more accessible for those
  using a wheelchair.
• Getting new non-slip flooring is another of the
  most obvious home modification solutions for
  improving accessibility.
• If you cannot cover the high costs of completely
  replacing your tiled floor, consider less complex
  home modifications like adding a slip-resistant
  coating to your existing surface. Facilitators
  can also swap traditional rugs for those with a
  non-slip backing.

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• Other Ways to Improve Accessibility
• Theres no one size fits all approach when
  fitting appropriate home modifications and
  getting sufficient at-home care. Contacting an
  NDIS-approved disability support service ensures
  you receive support personalised to your property
  and needs.
• For instance, daily living support services can
  connect you to a facilitator who teaches you how
  to safely and comfortably use more complex home
  modifications, like chair lifts. It can take time
  to adjust to home modifications. Human support
  can help you feel more confident in adapting to
  these measures.
• Installing home modifications can also help you
  reach more tailored personal care support. For
  example, bath-based supports can help you feel
  secure while an assistant receiving aid bathing
  or using the toilet.

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• How We Can Help with Accessibility in Your Home
• Here at Gracious Australia, we provide care from
  the comfort of your own home with the goal of
  helping you live safely and independently.
• What makes our services unique is that well work
  closely with you or someone you care about by
  listening with care, compassion, and empathy. Our
  conversations will help us create a personalised
  plan based on your unique needs, such as adding
  home modifications and connecting you with
  occupational therapists.
• To find out more about how our friendly and
  expert support workers can help you navigate any
  new home modification safely and
  independently, reach out to us today.