Whether you have recently become disabled or have been living with a disability your whole life, you have likely needed to make modifications to your home to support an independent lifestyle. Home modifications can make parts of your home more accessible.
Most seniors want to age in place in their homes, well past retirement and into their golden years, and with a bit of help, they can. When circumstances change, specifically in the areas of mobility and ability, seniors may look for ways to make the rooms in their homes more easily accessible for themselves. Adult children of aging parents also worry that mom or dad may be more susceptible to potential risks at home, especially in the bathroom or shower. A fall while performing daily activities would surely raise concerns about their continued ability to stay safe and independent at home. Wheelchair users can grow frustrated by common barriers like narrow doorways, stairways, tight hallways and inaccessible bathing or shower facilities, just to name a few. Facing any of these challenges can be enough to make a person want to move. This Home Safety Guide for Seniors is intended to help the elderly, and their caregivers alike, commence a plan to stay in their own home as long as is possible, and on their own terms. This home safety for seniors guide contains useful information about ways to help them get around in their home an community. Lifeway Mobility can help seniors plan ahead and make informed decisions about assistive equipment and home modifications that can be the difference between living independently in their home and alternatives that are not nearly as desirable. Falls: There are Ways to Lower the Risk of a Fall The elderly are hospitalized for fall-related injuries five times more often than they are for injuries from other causes. Too often, seniors seek help after a tragic event happens. Seeking a professional assessment of one’s home environment to learn how to make it safer is highly recommended. This will help seniors and their families understand the variety of assistive and safety devices that may help reduce the risk of falling. Or, here are some common-sense ways for seniors to prevent falls right away: Use a cane or walker to steady yourself when getting up. Stand up slowly after eating, lying down or resting. Getting up too quickly can cause your blood pressure to drop, which can make you feel faint. Use a cane or walker to feel steadier when you walk. If your doctor prescribes a cane or walker, we can help find one that fits your needs. Wear rubber-soled, low-heeled shoes that fully support your feet. Wearing only socks or smooth-soled shoes on stairs or waxed floors can be unsafe. Hold the handrails when you use the stairs. Use hand grips and install grab bars throughout the house. Use a reaching stick, or more commonly known as a reacher, to reach items on top shelves. Consider a step stool with a handle. Carefully consider the safety of your bathroom. Grab bars, raised toilet seats, safety bars for your tub, and transfer benches can make your bathroom a significantly safer place. Consider purchasing a personal medical alarm to wear around your neck. These electronic devices that can bring peace of mind to you and your loved ones. Taking care of your overall health and well-being can help lower fall risks. Ask your doctor about a bone density test, which will tell how strong your bones are. Medications are available that can make your bones stronger and harder to break. Regular exercise can help keep you strong, and your joints, tendons and ligaments flexible. Talk with your doctor before beginning any program. Have your vision and hearing tested often. Even small changes in sight and hearing can make you less stable and can throw off your depth perception. Discuss possible side effects from medication with your doctor and/or pharmacist. Some medicines affect coordination and balance. Related resource: Take this Free Fall Risk Assessment Test Making Every Room in a Home Safe and Accessible Have you thought about the current and future safety and accessibility needs of all those who are living in your home? What about accessibility needs of friends and relatives who visit? Do you have an aging parent who is coming to stay for awhile? Practicing the concept of universal design, either during initial construction or with home modifications later, incorporates design elements, spaces and even equipment that make each room more user friendly for as many different people as possible. Modifications like extra-wide doorways and hallways can accommodate a walker, or make getting around easier for a person on crutches or in a wheelchair. Movable cabinets increase the usability of the kitchen wheelchair users, and anyone who has a hard time bending down or reaching up. Equipment like grab bars and support poles offer assistance when coming to a standing position, while stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, platform lifts and even residential elevators can keep every level of your home accessible to all. Home Safety Solutions to Home Accessibility Challenges Here are some solutions to common home mobility and accessibility challenges for seniors by room. Bathrooms Barrier-free showers Walk-in tubs Step-in tub cutouts Grab bars & handrails Elevated toilet seats Bath lifts Shower benches Swing & support bath basins Toilet support frames Bedroom Adjustable beds Bed rails Floor or ceiling-mounted lifts Bedside commodes Handholds/poles to help with standing Over-bed trapeze Pull-out closet shelving Handrails Kitchen Easy-access cabinetry Accessible counter tops Handrails Easy-grip utensils, ergonomic dishes Accessible appliances Reachers Pull-out shelving Living Area Stairway lifts Lift chairs Canes & walkers Home monitoring devices Walkers Safety poles Handrails Lighting Home automation devices for seniors Getting Around – inside, outside and in your community Scooters Portable ramps Power wheelchairs Rollators & canes Vehicle lifts Accessible vehicles Lightweight transport wheelchairs Porch railings Foldable canes, walkers, wheelchairs Wheelchair Users Modular ramps Door widening Curbless or barrier-free showers Residential elevators Patient and vehicle lifts Pull-out shelving Inclined platform lifts Vertical platform lifts Automatic door openers Modify Your Home Room by Room Modifying the home can be as simple as picking up throw rugs (tripping hazards) or more complex – widening doorways, installing a “curbless” shower, changing door handles to levers, installing “rocker” light switches, or opening up interior space to make it more accessible and practical for individuals who use mobility equipment. Some of the most common home modifications include: • Grab bars in bathrooms especially around the toilet and bathing area• Ramps, both interior and exterior• Stair lifts – both indoor and outdoor• Door widening• Walk-in tubs/curbless or barrier-free showers• Full bath remodels• Ceiling lifts• Porch lifts• Accessible room additions• Floor coverings to accommodate wheelchair use Staying Safe in Your Home Home automation products are ‘smart’ home devices that can help seniors monitor the security and safety of their homes, engage automated lighting systems, allow the homeowner to see who is at the door, and program the thermostat so it learns family patterns, and knows when someone is home or not. Elders can also check on pets and the security of your home while away, and so much more. These gadget can help seniors stay in their homes –– comfortably and safely. Actual smart devices include security cameras, doorbells, thermostats, smoke detectors, lighting controls and more. Emergency alert devices and systems can help seniors remain independent at home and when out and about in the community. Most systems offer options for wearing the alert button around the neck or on the wrist, and are automatically triggered when a fall is detected and the user cannot push the button. Such automated fall detection can be a real life saver. Medicare & Insurance Guide Many home medical products are covered by Medicare. What Medicare doesn’t cover, secondary insurance often will. Home modifications and accessibility equipment like stair lifts, bathroom safety, ramps, vehicle lifts, and vertical platform lifts usually are not covered by Medicare or insurance, but may be through non-profits, waiver programs, reverse mortgages, special home improvement loans, foundations and churches. Remember to weigh the cost of alternative care versus the cost of making your home environment more accessible through modification. The average annual cost of skilled care at a nursing home is $82,500 for a semi-private room, or $92,500 for a private room. Assisted living costs an average of $48,000 annually. The average rate for an in-home health aide is $23 per hour. Adult day services average about $22,000 if care is provided five days a week. Learn about how much a stair lift, wheelchair ramp, or home elevator might cost (spoiler - each solution is more cost-effective than any alternative care option above!) Stair Lift Pricing Wheelchair Ramp Pricing Home Elevator Pricing We trust you’ll find value in all the information presented and that if circumstances change, that Lifeway Mobility will be top-of-mind when needing a professional evaluation for one’s home. Related Resource: Medicaid Home Modification Funding Guide
Virtual CEU* Event: Modifications for Home AccessibilityDate & Time: TBD This webinar will cover the basics of modifications for home accessibility and answer questions including:
Lifeway Mobility Chicago, a local Bruno Diamond stair lift dealer, has a showroom equipped with six fully operational stair lifts. Visiting a stair lift showroom can be very helpful for:
Watch Lifeway Mobility's 2021 "Happy Holidays" Video: All of us at Lifeway wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday season, and joyous new year! Thank you to our referral sources, partners, and suppliers for another great year, and we look forward to working together in 2022!
Below is a recording of the AIA Home Elevator Webinar from December 8th, 2021.
St. Cloud, MN– Lifeway Mobility, a leading provider of accessibility solutions that helps those with limited mobility stay safe and independent at home, is pleased to announce it is further expanding its footprint in central Minnesota. Lifeway will now offer stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, and a variety of basic transfer aid solutions to those living in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and the surrounding areas.
AIA CE Webinar: Guide to Home Elevators December 8, 2021 1pm Eastern / 10am Pacific
We're happy to share with you the recording of our virtual CEU webinar, "Modifications for Home Accessibility" from November 17th, 2021.
November 1, 2021 Rochester, MN– Lifeway Mobility, a leading accessibility company helping people with limited mobility stay safe and independent at home, is pleased to announce it is expanding its coverage area in southeastern Minnesota. Lifeway will now offer stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, and a variety of basic transfer aid solutions to those living in Rochester, Minnesota, and the surrounding areas.
Virtual CEU* Event: Modifications for Home AccessibilityWednesday Nov 17, 2021 1:00 pm Eastern Time / 10 am Pacific Time This webinar will cover the basics of modifications for home accessibility and answer questions including:
Maintaining your physical and mental well-being is essential for every age group, but taking active steps to improve our health becomes even more imperative as we get older. Sleep is one of the foundations for a healthy mind and body, yet certain physical and mental obstacles may prevent someone from getting a night of peaceful shuteye. When we don’t rest well, this can impact our lives in a variety of ways. For this reason, prioritizing a good night’s rest is critical.
There are many reasons landings are added to stairs. They allow stairs to change directions and also provide a space for people to rest, if needed. Stair landings are also needed when a door at the top of the steps swings inwards towards the stairway.
August 2, 2021 Philadelphia, PA– Lifeway Mobility, a leading provider of accessibility solutions that help people stay safe and independent at home, is pleased to announce it is further expanding its footprint into the Mid-Atlantic & Southeastern regions of the country.
It's officially the summer season, which means warmer weather and more time outside enjoying fun activities in the sun. However, it also means there will be a higher chance for severe thunderstorms with high winds that can cause power outages.
Columbus, OH– Lifeway Mobility, a leading accessibility company helping people with limited mobility stay safe and independent at home, is pleased to announce it is expanding its coverage area. Lifeway will now provide stair lifts, ramps, and other accessibility solutions to those living in southcentral Ohio and surrounding areas.
A complete bathroom remodel is anything but a small project. Whether you are choosing to upgrade your bathroom for aesthetic reasons or to increase your home’s value, there are some crucial elements you should consider before you bring your project to life! Functionality should be at the center of your remodel but creating a functional bathroom no longer means you have to sacrifice style and features. Designing the bathroom of your dreams in your master suite or updating the guest bath to serve a variety of purposes is easy with a little inspiration and a great design team.
Due to the pandemic, more patients with complex needs are being discharged directly home, which can cause challenges for healthcare facilities and patients. Home care and home access are part of the solution to help those with limited mobility remain in their homes safely and on parallel path to help minimize readmission.
Limited mobility and/or balance issues can restrict someone to the first level of the home and prevent access to a bedroom and shower upstairs. A senior veteran named Robert was dealing with this exact issue, until he and his family learned about stair lifts, and had one installed by Lifeway Mobility.
Lifeway Mobility San Francisco, a Bruno Diamond Stair Lift Dealer, has a showroom in Union City, California that is equipped with fully operational straight and curved rail stairlifts. For those with limited mobility, a stair lift provides a simple and affordable way to regain access to a second level bedroom or laundry room in the basement
Lifeway Mobility Los Angeles, a Bruno Diamond Stair Lift Dealer, has a showroom in Valencia, California that is equipped with multiple stairlifts, both straight and curved rails, that are fully operational. A stair lift provides a safe and easy way to navigate the stairs for those with limited mobility.
If you or someone you care for is having trouble with stairs this webinar is a must-watch! Trouble with stairs doesn't just limit the enjoyment of your home, it can be a major safety risk. Don't wait for a dangerous fall - learn about your options now. Watch a Live Demo of a stairlift so you can see and hear how it works from the comfort of your home or office. Our accessibility experts, each with over twenty years in the field, will answer your questions such as:
Lifeway Mobility Pittsburgh a Bruno Diamond Stair Lift Dealer, has a showroom in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania that is equipped with two stair lifts that are fully operational. A stair lift is one of the safest and easiest solutions for navigating the stairs for those with limited mobility.
For most, long-term care planning is not something that is on their radar. However, for older adults making a long-term care plan is something that should be done sooner than later. A first step is learning more about what long-term care is and about the variety of services that are available.
A stair lift provides a safe means for accessing the second-floor level of a home or a basement, for people with limited mobility or balance issues. In this case, it was an easy and affordable solution that allowed for regained independence at home after a fall on the stairs.