Creating a New Year’s resolution focused on making your home more accessible is a wonderful goal! Here are some ideas for improving accessibility in your home, which can be tailored to your specific needs or preferences:
1. Install More Universal Design Features
- Wider Doorways/ modular ramps: If possible, widen doorways to allow better access for mobility devices such as wheelchairs or walkers.
- Leverage Lever Handles: Replace doorknobs with lever handles, which are easier for those with limited hand strength.
- Slip-Resistant Flooring: Install slip-resistant floors, especially in bathrooms and kitchens, to prevent falls.
- Lower Counter Heights: Adjust counters in kitchens or bathrooms to be at a more accessible height for individuals seated in a wheelchair or those with limited reach.
2. Enhance Lighting
- Motion-Activated Lights: Install motion-sensor lights in hallways and bathrooms to ensure spaces are always well-lit without the need to fumble for switches.
- Improve Lighting for Vision Impairment: Consider adding task lighting, such as under-cabinet lighting, to assist with low vision.
3. Make Tech Accessible
- Voice-Controlled Devices: Set up voice assistants (like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant) to control lights, thermostats, and appliances.
- Smart Home Integration: Consider integrating smart home technology, such as automated window shades, smart thermostats, or door locks, to provide more independence for individuals with mobility or vision impairments.
4. Organize for Accessibility
- Lower Storage Solutions: Install lower shelves or pull-out shelves in closets and kitchens for easy access.
- Declutter Pathways: Regularly declutter walkways to ensure easy navigation for those with mobility aids.
5. Enhance Bathroom Accessibility
- Grab Bars: Install grab bars in key areas like showers, toilets, and tubs to provide support.
- Accessible Shower or Bathtub: Consider replacing a bathtub with a walk-in shower or a low-threshold shower to reduce the risk of slips and falls.
- Non-slip Mats: Place non-slip mats or anti-skid tiles in showers and around the bathroom to prevent accidents.
6. Add Ramps and Entryway Modifications
- Wheelchair Ramp: If you have stairs at the entrance, consider adding an aluminum wheelchair-accessible ramp for easier entry and exit.
- Automatic Doors: If feasible, install automatic doors for better accessibility, especially for people using mobility devices or when carrying heavy loads.
7. Implement Assistive Technology
- Amplified Phones: Install phones with amplified volume for those with hearing loss.
- Visual or Vibrating Alerts: For people with hearing impairments, consider visual or vibrating alert systems for doorbells, alarms, and timers.
8. Regularly Review and Update
- Conduct Accessibility Audits: Make it a regular part of your home maintenance to assess how accessible your space is and where improvements could be made.
- Stay Informed: Keep up to date with accessibility tools, technologies, and resources that can further improve your living space. Modular wheelchair ramps, stairlifts. Chairlifts, shaftless elevators and vertical platform lifts are easily available now.
9. Create a Safer Outdoor Environment
- Accessible Outdoor Paths: Ensure outdoor pathways are wide enough and free of obstructions, and that they have smooth, stable surfaces. Get installed aluminum wheelchair ramps for easy accessibility.
- Outdoor Lighting: Improve outdoor lighting for safety and to ensure visibility at night.
10. Foster Inclusivity in Social Spaces
- Comfortable Seating: Arrange seating in common areas to accommodate everyone, ensuring that there’s space for people with mobility aids.
- Inclusive Decor: Incorporate elements that are universally accessible, like tactile elements for those with vision impairments or easy-to-read fonts on labels.
By focusing on these aspects, you’ll make your home more comfortable and accessible, improving both independence and safety for everyone. You can choose one or two goals to start with and build from there throughout the year.
