If you have a family member with special needs, it can be difficult to make their life easier. You may not know where to start, or what changes need to be made in order for them to live comfortably and safely at home.
However, there are many small changes that you can make which will help your loved one cope better with the day-to-day challenges they face when living independently. Here are a few simple steps that will change how they interact with their environment.
Getting Up and Down Stairs
If your loved one uses a wheelchair, getting in and out of the home may be an issue. The height of individual steps can make it difficult for them to get up and down without assistance. You could install a wheelchair ramp to help your loved one move in and out of the house more easily – however, this isn’t always practical, particularly if there are lots of steps in the house or the property is sloped.
Another option is to add grip tape to each step around the home or consider widening doorways so that they have enough room to maneuver their chair through. If they are not restricted to a wheelchair, then getting a stair elevator from Stiltz Home Lifts NZ is one way to do it. If these options aren’t appropriate, you could consider adding non-slip mats in potentially dangerous areas such as outside showers or near the toilet – however, this will be limited by your dining room carpet or tiling.
Using The Bathroom
It’s important that your loved one has access to a safe, inclusive bathroom with minimal steps. If you have an older-style house with lots of small rooms, think about converting spaces into a larger accessible bathroom – this can involve widening doorways, adding ramps, and installing non-slip surfaces. If you are renovating the entire property at once there are several options available for wheelchair users including walk-in showers without doors, accessible toilets, and adjustable vanities.
Furniture Considerations
Your family member won’t be able to access shelves or cupboards, so you need to make sure anything they might need is kept on a low level – ideally at around waist height. Even if your dining room carpet is thick, be careful about keeping items on the floor as they might roll under the table where they can’t reach them. In some cases, it may be easier to remove furniture altogether from rooms that aren’t being used frequently enough by your family member.
In Bedrooms
For wheelchair users, it’s important to make sure bedrooms and living spaces all have enough space in order to allow them to fully move around. This may mean removing unnecessary furniture or making changes such as adding ramps or widening doorways. It may be worth pressing pause on any home renovations for a couple of weeks so you can assess what extra space your loved one needs in order to feel comfortable during their visit before making permanent changes.
Children with autism benefit from regular routines. They find it much easier to understand and follow a set of instructions, so giving them the option of making small changes to your living room or bedroom can help them feel more independent – such as being able to choose what channel they watch on TV, having a list of preferred foods at mealtimes, and memorizing shortcuts for navigating around the house.
Tackling the Kitchen
If you have children with mental disabilities then it can be difficult to teach them how to cook and clean independently. The kitchen is the heart of most homes, so it’s worth making it accessible for your loved one through techniques such as adding clear labels to food cupboards and doors, keeping sharp tools in containers rather than drawers, and adding non-slip mats on floors.
In terms of appliances – you’ll need to think about what works best for your family member. If they’re able-bodied then a conventional oven will work fine, but if your loved one has special needs and uses a wheelchair then consider electric ovens with front controls which are easier to access from a sitting position.
After reading this article, you should have a better idea of how to make your home more accessible for family members with special needs. You can do this by installing features that will make their life easier, such as wheelchair ramps or widened doorways. If these options aren’t appropriate, you could consider adding non-slip mats in potentially dangerous areas like outside showers or near the toilet – however, this will be limited by your dining room carpet or tiling. You may also want to think about rearranging furniture so it’s easier for them to maneuver around and remove any items they won’t need access to on a regular basis.