Brightening the Sunset Years: 8 Best Accessibility Home Remodels
Aging individuals and people with disabilities often face mobility challenges that not only inconvenience them and reduce their quality of life - but that turn their homes from safe havens into obstacle courses, packed with health hazards.
From inadequate bathrooms that are an ever-present slip-and-fall risk to steep flights of stairs that are outright insurmountable, the standard home features become an impediment to the person's safety, independence, and well-being.
Fortunately, specialists for accessibility remodeling in Portland have a variety of innovative solutions to mitigate mentioned detriments and transform homes back into safe havens. Today, we’re answering the question they’re most often asked:
How would you modify the home environment for the elderly & people with disability?
Regardless of the size or layout, every home can be modified to accommodate the elderly and individuals with disabilities, typically through a combination of high-impact accessibility upgrades. Let’s explore the remodels that are proven to offer the most benefits, progressing from simple, cost-effective solutions to complex, life-changing options.
Simple, yet impactful
Sometimes, even the smallest change can mean a massive improvement in quality of life. This is the case with the following modifications, which are not only easy to implement but super cost-effective:
Lever handles: Replacing traditional doorknobs and faucets with lever-action counterparts can significantly improve accessibility, as they are much easier to use even with limited dexterity.
Grab bars: Several strategically placed grab bars can greatly improve the individual’s ability to safely navigate their homes - and they’re dirt cheap to buy!
Anti-slip flooring: These options can vary in price and installation complexity, but they all serve the same purpose: preventing slip and fall accidents. We’ll put them all together for ease of reference:
Non-slip mats: The cheapest option and the easiest one to implement, these mats are best used at critical points to provide additional traction, such as at the entrances, or in front of sinks and bathtubs/showers.
Anti-slip coating: Slightly more expensive, this option comes in different variants (i.e., epoxy resin coat, anti-slip paint) that can be applied over large surfaces.
Non-slip flooring: This is the priciest solution, as it requires replacing the existing flooring with the anti-slip variant. However, it is also the most effective.
Moderate remodels, substantial improvements
For a slightly above-average investment, you can undertake more complex projects that can significantly enhance your or your loved one’s quality of life:
Widening hallways/doorways to accommodate different mobility aids, such as walkers, wheelchairs, or even scooters. This modification usually entails a degree of construction work, ranging from moving doorframes to slightly altering the overall layout of the home.
Bathroom adaptations are widely considered to be the best accessibility remodels, as they significantly improve the safety, comfort, and independence of aging residents or individuals with disabilities. Some of the most used options include:
Installing a walk-in shower or tub with (optional) a seat and grab bars;
Lowering/raising the sink and toilet for easier access;
Adding a comfort-height toilet with (optional) a bidet attachment for enhanced hygiene.
Entry & threshold ramps are an affordable way to minimize tripping hazards, but they do require a bit more effort and knowledge to install.
Transformative projects, superb benefits
These remodels may be the most extensive and expensive on the list, but they’re also the most impactful in terms of safety and QOL improvements:
Full bathroom conversions: While the aforementioned adaptations can do the trick, full conversions take accessibility and convenience to a whole new level. This undertaking may entail installing non-slip flooring, a roll-in shower/tub (with a bench and grab bars), height-adjustable sinks, and even incorporating a ceiling-mounted lift system (for individuals with severe mobility limitations).
Whole-home wheelchair accessibility remodels: This is a comprehensive project to ensure seamless wheelchair navigation throughout the entire home. Depending on the size and layout of the building, as well as the person’s unique needs, the scope of this project may include:
Reconfiguring the layout to eliminate narrow hallways, height differences, tight corners, etc.
Modifying/reworking the kitchen for wheelchair-accessibility (e.g., installing wheelchair-accessible countertops, sinks, appliances, etc.).
Performing a full bathroom conversion (as noted above).
Adding a stairlift or an elevator for easy navigation through multi-story homes.
Of course, it should be noted that this list is far from exhaustive. There are many more home accessibility remodels that can dramatically improve the quality of life for aging and disabled individuals. Therefore, use the options here as the basic source of inspiration, but don’t hesitate to contact your preferred remodeling contractor to discuss case-specific solutions.
