Quick and easy ways to reduce hazards in the home for mobility impaired people

Clutter around the home doesn’t just make for untidy rooms, but present an actual issue to those without the ability to get around easily. For someone with reduced mobility who still walks to a degree, clutter is a tripping hazard that can cause significant injury.

Assistive equipment often requires more space to mount and dismount, and move around the room. The clutter around the home, whether it’s boxes of unused items, toys, foot stools, shoes, or any other loose objects that are usually left on the ground, should ideally be given a new storage place, out of the way. Consider things like a shoe rack, positioned out of the way of the doorways and entrance, keeping multiple items neatly organised and off the floor.

 

Going through each room and decluttering doesn’t necessarily mean reorganising items – you may wish to use the opportunity to reduce how much ‘stuff’ you have in the home and donate, sell or recycle things no longer needed.

This process is about making life easier for both the mobility impaired person, but for anyone else in the home who’ll provide assistance too. With less obstacles to worry about, it’s easier to focus on executing tasks like helping a loved one or client transfer onto a wheelchair, and move them through the home efficiently. It’s also important to ensure that emergency exits are swift.

The doorways of a home are subject to much foot traffic, meaning that over time the join between rooms and hallways can sometimes wear down. Some doorways will simply be carpet joins, whilst other carpet to hard floor will have some sort of metal threshold that is affixed to offer a clean look.

As part of the home review, check the doorways and look for some of the following:

• Has the carpet worn and scuffed where there is loose material sticking up out of the floor?
• If a metal trim, is the piece firmly in place, the full length across?
• Are there any nails/tacks that have come up slightly or are loose in the metal trim?
• Are there any loose parts of the doorway, such as wooden skirting?

You may need to get some outside help to do these repairs if significant, otherwise someone handy in your household may be able to attend to this. Having the thresholds in good shape saves headaches down the track.

Lighting the home is important no matter who you are, but when you’re having to negotiate a mobility impairment and stay aware of any potential hazards in your path, lighting is that much more crucial. After checking the maximum wattage of your light sockets (ensure this is done safely or by a professional electrician), you can find the best possible light bulbs to give rooms and hallways better illumination.

The bathroom is a good example of the need for plenty of light. With visibility somewhat reduced in a steamy environment, good lighting makes the process of accessing the shower a little less hazardous.

 

In other parts of the house, a lack of light combined with fatigue is a recipe for accidents. The good news is that replacing lighting isn’t usually very expensive compared to other house modifications or maintenance.

Depending on what kind of approach you have to furniture and interior design, you may not need to remove furniture to prepare for a mobility impaired person to get around easier, but you may well need to think about things like the spacing between furniture, and the placement of things like tables and lounge suites in relation to the path to the doorway.

Wheelchairs being much wider than most people, need to be accommodated for things like walkers, or even the process of manually carrying someone. Getting around chairs, coffee tables and other furniture just adds extra stress that can be avoided.

Ramps are an excellent way to transform a typical home’s exterior entrances and exits into wheelchair compatible solutions. They’re also good for those using assistive methods for walking like a rollator, crutches or walking stick. Lifting a leg up to scale stairs with reduced mobility can cause some pain, and if executed improperly may lead to an accident.

Ramps may be funded through your local health system, but otherwise can be picked up via mobility stores and even in some larger homewares chains. Ensure that the ramp is the right size for the space and is made from a hard wearing material that will be weather resistant over the long term. You may also wish to choose a portable option to take on the road as well.

Many people with paraplegia still conduct many of the daily tasks of life on their own. With a reliance upon a wheelchair, it’s important not to keep items in cupboards or shelves that require straining and stretching to reach.

Instead, have these items placed within comfortable arms reach from the seated position in a wheelchair. This will avoid nasty accidents with falling kitchen utensils, jars of food or toiletries in the bathroom.