A more accessible home will be a lot more appealing to family and friends. Everyone, yourself included, will enjoy it when it’s easy to move through the house independently, despite having different needs. Accessibility is a global concern, which is why you may be able to get these kinds of renovations covered by your Geico home insurance. Here are a few ways in which you can make your home more accessible.
Add Lighting in the Hallways
One thing you can do is to get lighting for your hallways and other spaces that experience high traffic in general. These lights should be dim as they simply need to highlight the different areas where they’re set up. When you do this, you will make it easy for people to get around even after everyone’s asleep and other lights are off. With 53.3% of website traffic coming from organic search, you can look online for dim and adjustable hallway lights for your home. These will make it possible for people in your home to see where they’re going at all times, no matter if they’re residents or guests who aren’t too familiar with your space.
Get High-Rise Toilets
Another improvement to make to your home so that it’s more accessible is installing toilets with high-rise seats. These will be easy to sit on and get up from for people with mobility issues. Whether their problem is a result of age or having a mobility issue, people with special needs will be sure to appreciate high-rise seats on toilets as they will be able to use them without having to get extra help. When you improve the accessibility of a need as basic as using the bathroom, you will give your guests with special needs a reason to smile.
Improve Your Doors
As there are people for whom gripping and turning a doorknob can be an issue, you need to consider doing away with the doorknobs in your home. Opt instead for press lever handles or push/pull bars, which will make it easy for practically everyone to move through different spaces of the house unassisted. You can ask your family which option they would like the most and settle for that one. This will be similar to using key messages, which are the statements that an organization agrees to be the most important thing that a target audience needs to see, hear, and understand about your business or brand. It will enable everyone in the house to feel that their voices are heard and their needs are given some consideration, which is a parenting goal to aim for.
Rearrange the Furniture
The furniture in your home may also unwittingly present accessibility issues. This is because it may be in the way of people who have mobility issues, and they will likely not be willing to ask you to move it. Take this upon yourself to ensure that there are reasonable spaces between each piece to allow for people to pass through without tripping them. This is for people who use canes for assistance while walking, as well as those in wheelchairs or with poor eyesight.
Install a Ramp
Finally, you should consider replacing the stairs around your home with ramps. This is especially for main entry stairs and stairs in the common living spaces of the house. When you do this, it won’t make a difference to people without mobility issues but will make a huge difference to those who use a wheelchair or other walking aid. There are about 11.6 million people who use crutches, walkers, and canes.
When your home is more accessible, you will help everyone who visits you maintain their independence to a high degree. This is something for which they will be sure to thank you, even if not audibly!