How Can Home Modifications Improve Accessibility and Safety? - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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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? – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: How Can Home Modifications Improve Accessibility and Safety?


1
How 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.

3
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

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.

7
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.
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.
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