Guest Post - How To Make Your Home More Accessible If You're Living With A Disability

“I have a Disability yes that’s true, but all that really means is I may have to take a slightly different path than you.”- Robert M. Hensel. When living with a disability, everyday activities – such as getting dressed, bathing and even preparing food – can become difficult. To make your home more organized, accessible and provide a safe environment for you to feel comfortable in, there are some steps that need to be taken into consideration.

Why it is important to organize your house to make it more accessible

The importance of a safe and accessible home cannot be understated, particularly for those living with a disability. The fact remains that falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths among Americans aged 65 and up. Tragically, every year about one-third of seniors and disabled endure at least one fall. These accidents can create further health complications that may result in serious injuries like hip fractures, head traumas and sadly enough - even death. One of the effective ways to combat this issue is maintaining an organized home environment. Home clutter usually leads to hazardous situations which can easily result in trips and falls. Take your living room as an example: Excess furniture could potentially pose a risk when placed too close together causing mobility difficulties especially for disabled individuals. Similarly, another accident-prone area is your bathroom medicine cabinet filled with expired medications. To someone with cognitive impairment, it becomes increasingly difficult to differentiate between current prescriptions and old ones thereby posing serious health threats. 

Accessibility and Rental Property Guide for Landlords

It is important to understand accessibility laws outlined by ADA or Americans with Disabilities Act. A crucial provision within this act highlights that landlords do not have any lawful right whatsoever to inquire regarding their prospective tenant's alleged or visible disabilities during application stages for a rental space. What does this mean? Put simply, no matter how conspicuous indicators there might be- usage of canes or wheelchairs owing to mobility impairments; looping hearing aids snaking around ears due to hearing impairments; some visor caps obscuring vision stemming from visual impairments - all remains the private concern and business of respective individuals facing themselves firsthand. When we ponder about disabilities, the first to come to mind are physical ones. But it's equally important that landlords keep in mind "invisible" illnesses or so-called mental disabilities. Regardless of whether one ambles around on two feet or wheels oneself through life seated on a wheelchair, both should receive equal consideration in the eyes of an unbiased landlord or property manager.

The idea behind this legislation is simple: potential tenants must be evaluated based on behavior - have they ever been evicted? Can they maintain choice relations with previous landlords? Is punctual payment of rent within reach? Has indebtedness marred past easeful liaisons? If careful research were to reveal a prospect thoroughly capable of holding up standards expected by any diligent landlord within reason – then those gates opening rental doors to persons living with physical or mental impairments must be a standard procedure. This process should have no bearing on their disability but instead, focus primarily on their positive track record as conscientious tenants. 

How smart home technologies contribute to a more accessible living environment?

Smart home technologies offer ways to better accommodate the needs of disabled individuals, contributing dramatically towards an accessible household. It incorporates elements like lighting, music and temperature control that all communicate with other smart gadgets around the house. It's fascinating how much convenience comes packed in these smart tools! One such beauty of this technology is it enhances accessibility throughout your home. controlling doors or appliances solely using your voice! For individuals dealing with mobility issues, these healing touches cut back on their struggle significantly. Independence often escapes from grasp when disability steps in; however, these technological marvels help reclaim it bit by bit. Managing tasks independently at home becomes less daunting due to the assistance provided through cutting-edge software built into our humble homes. 

Smart tech unfolds its magic within safety and security measures for disabled inhabitants - especially if medical emergencies arise out of nowhere. Not being able to get up from your place during a smoke or carbon monoxide increase? Smart detectors come to the rescue. They don't just sit idle but alert caregivers or emergency responders, averting imminent danger. Furthermore, these smart devices can help prevent unwanted accidents by setting up quick reminders for essential tasks like taking medication. Technology bridges gaps and brings forth convenience that was earlier unimaginable. 

Outcomes of having a house adapted to your specific disability

Adaptation is key when living with a disability. It all begins with modifications - small or big changes in your household that aim at combating any risks related with injuries and enhance safety measures. Evidence affirms their positive influence on how people rate their capacity for staging normal lives amidst existing disabilities. Installing well thought-out safety equipment around key areas of the house diminishes chances of hurtful rotations or accidental slips occurring during routine endeavors within one’s own house walls. Therefore, undeniably pivotal it becomes advocating around reconfiguring our homes' characteristics towards liberating accessibility arrangements particularly targeted at catering to person-specific needs incited by encountered impairments. 

A simple yet beneficial modification could be the difference between grabbing onto that rail before stumbling down the stairwell versus having nothing there. At a basic level, this means enabling them to easily access goods and services within their homes that many take for granted. A well-placed ramp, wider doorways or lowered countertops can make a crucial difference. More significantly, these adaptations pave the way towards normalcy in daily routine. Enabling individuals with disabilities to navigate around their living space unaided aids in empowering them with self-esteem.

 Organizing our houses allows us to maximize space and use it efficiently while also providing tips for landlords on how renters must not discriminate against tenants who require modifications within an apartment due facilities disabled individuals confront every day. Technology advances are paramount when it comes to easing someone dealing with a condition or impairments in order to move around freely at home; from platforms like Amazon Alexa which alleviate tasks like switching lights off/on via voice command allow Individuals overcome certain mobility limitations without having seek assistance from family members & friends which is everyone should always aim attempt.

Written by Jennifer Hope

How To Make Your Home Wheelchair Accessible

A wheelchair-accessible home makes access and mobility easier for people in a wheelchair.

Improving the accessibility of your home will create a welcoming and accommodating experience for homeowners, tenants and guests.

While some minor changes can be completed, such as installing an access ramp or widening the entryway to your home, you should consider the long-term value of advanced modifications. 

From installing a home lift to reconsidering the floor choice throughout, the changes you make now will create a more wheelchair accessible home for many years to come.

Benefits of wheelchair accessible homes

Wheelchair accessible homes:

• Create a more accommodating and accessible home for all guests

• Can help to increase the resale value of your property

• Open up a wider market for property investors and landlords

• Provide long-term living potential for owner-occupiers

Wheelchair accessible homes don’t need to cost a fortune either. By making some key accessibility investments in your home, you’ll benefit from the long-term advantages.

4 Home accessibility modifications for wheelchair users

Before purchasing a home, consider how wheelchair friendly the house is, and if it has the room, space and design that can be adapted to become more accessible. Ask yourself questions such as:

• Is there room to increase the width of entryways and internal doorways?

• If the home is multi-story, is there space to install a home lift?

• Take into consideration the entry from the street. Is the ground even or will you need room to install a ramp or chair lift?

If you’re planning to renovate your current house and want to find ways to create a more accessible and wheelchair friendly home, follow this four-step guide.

1. Create a wheelchair friendly entrance

Entrance to a property should be made as easy as possible for people in a wheelchair.

And this begins with the driveway. Installing electric gates (as opposed to manual gates) is not only a great security measure, but it makes the property far more accessible for people in a wheelchair, particularly if the gates can be operated via a remote control. 

Ideally, your home will already have wide and open entryways. You may have also already chosen a home that has the front door level with the street and driveway, free from steps or ledges.

However, sometimes a home has a less accessible entrance.

If your home includes a set of stairs to the main door, consider installing a wheelchair access lift to make entry more accessible. While installing a deck ramp will work in some situations with slight inclines or only a few stairs, a wheelchair access lift will provide unparalleled access to your property.

It also makes transporting shopping, furniture and prams a breeze!

2. Selecting wheelchair accessible flooring options

Wheelchair accessible flooring should:

• Provide enough friction and grip, while still allowing the wheelchair to glide smoothly

• Be durable and make it easy to clean scuff marks and scratches

• Create a seamless transition between rooms using the same floor option throughout

When considering the best flooring ideas for wheelchair users, it is usually best to stick to a durable, level and easy to clean option. Some of the most common accessible flooring options include vinyl, laminate, timber, polished concrete and non-slip tiles.

While carpet may not come to mind as the best option for wheelchair accessibility, some carpet options still work for people in a wheelchair - commonly commercial-grade low, loop pile carpet.

It’s usually best to visit a flooring store in person and speak to an experienced team member, rather than buying online. Some companies may also provide samples to take home and experiment with.

3. Open up your kitchen and living rooms

Open plan living, while a relatively new concept, has become the norm for new construction since the 1990s. The use of spacious free-flowing areas throughout the home has made open plan living perfect for buyers seeking a more accessible new home.

If you’re currently living in an older style home, there’s still a lot that can be done to create an open and accessible living area, kitchen and hallway.

Speak to a builder about removing some walls between your living room, dining room and kitchen. Consider widening doorways to bedrooms and bathrooms. A door specialist could also install automated doors to make transitioning between rooms easy.

While you may be restricted with space in some older homes, there are so many resources, tips and guides available, with creative ways to make the most of your space.

4. Introduce assistive technology

Advanced assistive technology enables you to control your home environment via voice activation or an app. Features such as lighting, air-conditioning, blinds and bedroom doors can all be controlled through assistive technology. 

There is also an option to control home features with a joystick on the arm of a wheelchair, utilising bluetooth and infrared capabilities. The wheelchair can be programmed to integrate with the main system so that the wheelchair user can turn off, on, up and down as they choose. 

Assistive technology creates opportunities for people with disabilities to live more independently and more easily in their own home.

5. Consider multi-level wheelchair lifts

If there is one thing to remember, multi-level homes are not off-limits to people in a wheelchair. There are many creative and innovative ways to make a multi-story home accessible for wheelchair users.

One of the most reliable options when creating an accessible home is to install a residential lift.

Home lifts can be integrated into your current home design, providing fast and reliable access to multiple levels. Useful for everyone, home lifts shine when it comes to creating a wheelchair accessible home.

While you can make some changes yourself to create a wheelchair-friendly home, installing a multi-level residential lift is best left to the experts.

Get started on your accessible home journey

Ready to create a wheelchair accessible home?

Depending on the scale of work you’re hoping to complete, there are some wheelchair-friendly changes you can manage by yourself, and some that are best left to the professionals.

If you’re looking to rent a wheelchair accessible home, please contact the friendly team at Sana Living today. They have a range of SDA housing options across WA, QLD and SA to suit your needs.