Title: How Can Home Modifications Improve Accessibility and Safety?
1How Can Home Modifications Improve Accessibility
and Safety?
2- 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.
3How 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
4- 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.
5- 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.
6- 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.
7Below, 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.
8- 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.
9- 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.
10- 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.
11- 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.