Many people as they enter their “golden years” will be dealing with the challenge of having to adapt their home in order to accommodate their need for more accessibility; indeed, if you have aging parents yourself, you might be finding you need to be considering these adaptations for your own home.
In fact, it’s not just elderly people that require accessibility adaptations, if you have been involved in an accident, for instance, you might find yourself having to look into such adaptations which are often unsightly and leave much to be desired from an interior design perspective which can have an affect on your emotional state.
After all, there’s a reason why accident lawyers tend to pursue damages relating to psychological distress and loss of enjoyment, as the impact of an accident can have far reaching consequences and change your entire outlook on life.
This article is going to look at ways to adapt your home for accessibility whilst remaining design conscious, with a particular focus on your bathroom, which is perhaps one of the most important rooms when it comes to meeting the needs of someone with accessibility requirements.
WALK IN BATH & SHOWER
Whilst a bath can offer a nice relaxing experience, it can be difficult for people to get in and out of – particularly if they have reduced mobility in their lower body, or lack the required strength in their upper body to steady themselves into the bath.
The obvious solution is a walk-in shower, as this not only saves water, but a wheelchair can easily be taken in and out of a shower, yet for people that still want to experience the benefits of taking a nice long, relaxing bath, you can buy a walk in bath that has a little door which opens and closes, allowing the user to walk in without having to climb over.
WET ROOM
A wet room is a very modern style of bathroom, fully on trend, but also completely practical for those with reduced mobility. It’s great for maximising a sense of space whilst also providing cares a non-claustrophobic environment in which to undertake personal care tasks.
If you have the space then you are encouraged to embrace the practicality of a wet room. The other great thing about a wet room is that you can install aspects such as fold down shower seats and support rails anywhere within the bathroom in congruence with the colour scheme and materials you pick.
LOW SLIP TILES
It might sound like a no-brainer, but using low-slip tiles or preferably non-slip tiles, is imperative when designing for those that are a little wobbly on their feet. It might seem simple to stand up without slipping in the shower, for you, but if someone has reduced mobility they can find it hard and will need all the support they can get. Low slip tiles come in a variety of trendy styles that can compliment a modern bathroom – so they don’t need to be unsightly or off putting.
Of course, you can use old fashioned solutions such as rubber floor mats, but these rarely look pleasant and can cause people to trip if they are not properly secured.
