If you've made the often-difficult decision to move an aging or ailing parent into your home so that you and other family members can provide the hands-on care that he or she needs, you may be anxious at the thought of your parent attempting to navigate your stairs, narrow doorways, or other parts of your home that are less than fully handicap-accessible. Fortunately, making your home safer for your parent doesn't mean major renovations (or moving). Read on to learn more about some changes you can make to your home to allow you and your family to care for your parent in greater comfort.
Stair lifts
If your home has two or more stories, a stair lift can be essential. A stair lift will install on your existing banister, generally against the wall side of the stairs, and provides your parent with a comfortable place to sit while the stairs are mechanically (and smoothly) navigated. Stair lifts are available with adjustable speeds, so if your parent is dealing with other medical issues as well, like vertigo, the speed of the lift can be modified to provide a greater level of comfort and control.
As a bonus, most common brands and models of stair lifts can be installed without damaging your banister or stairway, allowing you to remove the lift if your parent eventually moves to a nursing facility and you no longer need staircase accessibility.
Bathroom bars
Whichever bathroom your parent will spend the most time using should be outfitted with accessibility bars for the toilet and bathtub. Falls can be painful at any age, but are especially devastating to the elderly, who don't have the physical faculties to recuperate nearly as quickly as younger people. Avoiding falls by providing your parent with plenty of grippy bars to use for balance can be the key to maintaining your parent's relative independence.
And those with an eye for décor don't need to worry that these accessibility bars will transform a bathroom into a hospital room; these bars are available in a variety of colors and finishes that can coordinate with just about any color scheme.
Swing-out lowered counters
If your parent spends some of his or her time in a wheelchair, preparing his or her own meals can be difficult – especially with many drawer or cabinet handles out of reach. Placing easy-to-prepare items in accessible locations and even considering a swing-out counter attachment that can allow your parent to prepare his or her own food can go a long way toward empowering your parent to care for his or her own physical needs.
