Homes are made up of family members living together. The usual structure includes both parents and their children, but some prefer having extended families that include grandparents. For those who prefer the latter, there are considerations apart from providing basic needs and necessities.
Special care for our senior family members calls for some improvements and a bit of small reconstruction here and there. But don’t worry, as you don’t have to tear down your current place for the following.
Accessible Amenities
A typical home is composed of rooms that serve specific purposes. A living room, for example, is the part of the house where the family can get together to bond or enjoy movies or games. While you may think that your couch is comfortable, the grandparents may not say the same.
Due to their age, their body isn’t as healthy as before so they may find it hard to enjoy a great weekend. Fortunately, you can help them out by providing a chair that caters better to their needs. This also applies to the bathrooms.
You can walk inside the bathroom without any problem, but your granny may find it challenging just to step in the tub. This challenge may be easier for them by putting in railings for them to hold on to. You can also provide walk-in tubs designed for the elderly.
You can do this instead of having them raise their feet to step in. It has a mini door that they can easily push to go in and out. It’s not only handy, but it also ensures their safety even without full supervision.
Easy Ingress and Egress
For younger people, going in and out of the house is no problem. However, our seniors may not have the same experience. Doorknobs may be the norm for the longest time, but you can change them. Instead of knobs, you can outfit your doors with lever-type handles.
This would make opening and closing a door easier for people that have injuries and conditions such as arthritis. Lever-types are also common in hardware stores so you won’t have a hard time finding one. On the topic of entry and exits, you may consider widening the doorways to accommodate wheelchair sizes.
You can also outfit them with some anti-slip modifications as these can also keep them safe from injuries.
Lighting
As we age, so does our eyesight. Older folks need lighting more than we do. At home, many things can be dangerous, such as sharp corners or furniture that’s badly placed, if they can’t be seen. You don’t necessarily need to install new electrical equipment and re-wire your house.
But changing from conventional light bulbs to LED lights can help. They are 20-40% brighter, which will help the elderly see well. They also use less energy and have a long lifespan compared to regular bulbs. So your improvement goes a long way and will save you a few bucks as well.
While the goal is to assist them, it’s also important to understand that most elders don’t like to be treated like they’re being a burden. If you encounter such an opinion from your older parents or grandparents, explain to them that this is for their own safety and that you want your home to be more accommodating and comfortable for them.
