PhotoIt’s no surprise to hear that as time goes by our parents and our partner’s parents get older. As they age, it can be harder for them to get around, with them needing your support more and more. So much so that they are coming around to visit more often or that you are considering letting them stay with you for a little bit in order to help them.
The more they visit, the more adaptations you may need doing to your home in order to make it elderly-friendly. The changes can be made depending on the areas of their life that they feel are deteriorating more than the others – this can be broken down into different sections, hearing, eyesight, mobility, etc.
To start with, your stairs may need adapting to make it easier for them to get up and down. Non-slip mats will be essential in your bathroom and if they are able to help with the housework still a hoover for elderly people should be considered.
To help you start getting your home more friendly whilst your parent’s age, we have put the following guide on ways to get your home ready for an older person.
Fitting a stairlift or a bannister on the stairs
To start with, when looking to get your home ready for an older person your stairs are an important area to consider. As you get older, mobility is an area most elderly people struggle with. This can mean getting up and down the stairs is a struggle and potentially dangerous for them as they may fall due to not being strong enough to carry out the action. At first, a bannister on the stairs should be perfect. This gives them something to hold onto when going up and down and will help them balance. When their balance and stability really start to fade, this is when a stairlift may be useful.
Installing a ramp or step rail
Following on from the above point, you may have a step or two at the front of your house when entering or in your back garden. This is a potential trip hazard and as mentioned above, it can be hard for an elderly person to move up steps. For this reason, it may be worth considering having a step rail installed so that they can hold onto it when entering your property or back garden. A ramp will be required if they require a wheelchair as this will allow them to get in and out without assistance.
Lights as you enter your property
It’s a simple change that you can make to your property but one that can make a huge difference. Your sight can deteriorate when you get older as well as your stability. When it’s dark, it’s not only sometimes hard to see as an older person but you are more prone to fall over on something you didn’t realise was there. Adding lights that come on as you enter your property will help increase what you can see. They can also be used as a deterrent for burglars and help you see who is at the front door when it’s dark.
Rail in the bath
A quick change that you can make to your bathroom is to add a rail in the bath. This will help them get into the bath and out safely and reduce the chances of them falling. Make sure you have a mat that is slip-proof as water can spill in and out when they are getting up and you don’t want them to slip on the floor. When getting out of the bath is becoming too difficult, having a walk-in shower installed could be an option – this comes with a larger cost and may need to be budgeted for.
Widening doorways to allow for enhanced wheelchair access
This adaption will be needed if they are regular wheelchair users. Wheelchairs are wide and can be hard to manoeuvre through standard doorways. This is why you may need to consider having your doorways widened in order to help them get around your home. This does have a larger cost attached to it, however, it may not be as expensive as you first expect. We would advise getting a few quotes from your local builders to see what would price the job as.
Put their bedroom on the ground floor
If mobility is something they find difficult, then making them go up the stairs on a daily occurrence could be extremely difficult for them. Instead, it may be worth considering adopting one of your rooms on the ground floor and making it a bedroom. If you have a dining room that you don’t use, this is often the room people adapt to. Changing a room downstairs isn’t as difficult as you may expect and can easily be done. If you want to do something more permanent, some people like to convert their garage into a room for their loved ones or add an annexe in the back garden. An annexe can help improve their independence even though they are still staying next to where you live.
Remove trip hazards
We’ve mentioned a few times in this article that mobility is something an older person may struggle with. Bearing this in mind, you should go around your home and remove anything that you consider a trip hazard. Rugs should be removed unless you are sure they will not slip on them, bath mats should be non-slip and anything sticking out that they will not expect to be there should be gone. If you have side tables that are extremely light, these should be drilled into the wall as they may be leaned on if their balance isn’t quite right.
Landscaping to your garden
It’s been proven that gardens can be a place that a lot of people enjoy as they get older. It gets them out of the house breathing in the fresh air and gives them some exercise. Depending on the type of garden you have, it could be worth having it landscaped so that it’s safe. Try to make sure your garden matches the individual needs of the person you have staying with you. If they struggle to move around, rails will be important. If their eyesight isn’t great then removing all trip hazards will be important. Make sure you have a bench and a table that they can sit and relax on.
Use smart devices when possible
When possible, use smart devices in your home to make it more interactive and easier for actions to be done. Google home is a great example of this. You can use smart bulbs and ask Google to turn them on and off. You can use Google to set a timer when required or to shut the blinds. If you have a smart thermostat, this can be changed using smart technology as well as turning on the tv and changing the channel. With a little bit of research, you’ll find a whole plethora of smart devices that will make day-to-day actions a lot easier for yourself and any older person staying in your home.
Ensure your home is well heated
As you get older you start to feel the cold more often. The colder months can be very cold and even when the sun is out, you still feel a bit chilly in the summer months. You may feel warm in your home but that doesn’t mean an older person feels warm and in actual fact, they could be very cold. This can be very uncomfortable for them, making it unpleasant when in your home. Making your home warm and well-insulated is very important and contributes to their well-being. You could add extra heat into the room they are staying on a hot day but keep the rest of the home cooler if you find it’s too overbearing.
Conclusion
Overall, some of the suggestions above may cost more than the others. For this reason, it’s important to get prepared as soon as possible and budget for the changes to be made. Some will be more urgent than others as ageing doesn’t happen overnight. It’s important to speak to the people who are coming around your house to see what they struggle most with. This way you can prioritise those changes in order to make it a more comfortable experience when visiting. If you are ever after some inspiration for some interior changes, use sites like Pinterest or Instagram for some examples. There are many changes that you can make which will keep your home looking stylish. Try to opt for eco-friendly options to make your home environmentally friendly.
What tips do you have for getting your home ready for an older person? Are there any tips that we haven’t included that you think we should have? Which of the above tips did you find most useful? Is there anything you would like to share that will benefit our readers? Let us know in the comment box below.
