5 Ways To Make Your Home Elderly Friendly

There are many changes to consider when you’re updating a home to be elderly friendly. From small things such as making sure the spaces are lit properly, to fitting new bathroom fixtures to make their stay a smooth transition. It’s hard to step into the new world of having to care for an adult when you’re not used to it. Ideally, you’d have a single story abode, with easy to use fixtures and fittings. But we don’t live in an ideal world, and sometimes this means, working some adaptations into your home.

I read this post about how to make life easier for someone with dementia, and it got me thinking about how you could alter your home, to really make a difference to their quality of life once they’re in your home. Now there are obviously some things that might need to be done by nurses to help care, and health related treatments such as ear wax removal and eye care can be done by the correct professionals for the job.

Make sure your flooring is safe

Okay, wooden flooring throughout with some neatly placed rugs might look uber modern, but it isn’t always practical. Try to remove anything that could make an elderly person trip. The corners of rugs can easily be a trip hazard, as can cables and wiring, so make sure these are all neatly out of the way.

Add in some equipment

Grab rails can be a big help, to hold onto and prevent the elderly from falling. These can be in the bathroom, hallway, on the stairs, and even outside. You can even get sensors that can detect whether the water has been left running in another room. 

Keep things simple in the bathroom

Try to make the bathroom as easily accessible as possible. Clear away items that aren’t used regularly, and use brightly coloured towels so they can be easily identified. It’s also a good idea to signpost the bathroom door so that it can be distinguished from the rest with ease. You can also install a wet room, or walk-in shower so that there are no trip hazards.

Keep active

I think we all assume that we should slow down as we get older. But sometimes, it’s the opposite. Being active can really get the blood pumping, improving circulation, and mental well-being too. And it can be as simple as getting into the garden and pulling a few weeds. Keeping up with the things you enjoy is great for quality of life, and it’s the same for any elderly people staying in your house. 

Think big!

When it comes to some things, bigger is better. A clock face, a calendar, and a whiteboard with reminders make she they’re easily readable and placed around the house so that there is no stress to be had. Label important things, and maybe sort some way of colour coordinating your notes so that dangerous things can be distinguished from the things that are needed.

This is a collaboration with Mobility Plus to give my thoughts on this.