If you’re noticing that you or a relative are finding it increasingly more difficult, here are some ways to prepare your living space to be as safe and easy to navigate as possible.
Free Up Space
Removing unused or unwanted furniture, or finding handier ways to store things to ease access around the home. To minimise the risks of trips and falls, it’s best to make sure there’s plenty of space on the floor to move around. As mobility decreases, more space is needed to manoeuvre than once needed, which may call for some serious decluttering. Make sure the floor and stairs are totally clear of anything that could be tripped over
Install grab rails
It’s a good idea to install rails and handles in any high risk areas, so make sure the stairs, bathroom and kitchen are covered, as well as front and back door steps – or if feasible, see if a ramp can be added too. Not only will this give you peace of mind, but your relative will be able to enjoy a little more freedom, rather than feeling shackled to a room or spot in the house.
Use non-slip flooring in the bathroom
When we install our bathrooms, we use high quality slip resistant flooring. We would also recommend a non-slip bath/shower mat to minimise falls when getting in and out of the bath or shower. Investing in a walk in bath or a level access shower with a shower seat is a good call if you find yourself worrying about your hygiene becoming more difficult to maintain. All our walk in showers are available at level access, and we pride ourselves on doing what we can for you to make your bathroom rituals more accessible. http://www.walkinshowersandbaths.co.uk/walk-in-showers/
Make sure essentials are accessible
It should be a top priority to make sure that any necessities are easy to reach, so phones should be easy to reach and quick to get to, things in cupboards and fridges not too high or too low down to minimise strains and things toppling over. When it comes to high risk areas, such as the bathroom, do make sure that hygiene products like shampoo and soap are easy to reach, especially if you relative is showering with a shower seat. Reducing the amount of times they have to stand up or sit down will not only making their shower much more relaxing, but also take away the risk of a dangerous slip in the shower or even things toppling over leading to an injury.