MODIFICATIONS TO MAKE A HOME MORE ACCESSIBLE

What I have observed is that people without physical limitations often do not appreciate how difficult simple everyday tasks can be to someone who is physically compromised. Many times a small modification can remove an obstacle. By presenting these examples of problems and solutions, I hope to raise awareness of problems and inspire people to look for answers.


Problems/Solutions:

Doorways openings are too small/Offset Door Hinges - The obvious answer is through construction - widen doorways. There is a cheaper, less disruptive approach. Offset door hinges will give you an extra 2 inches with very little effort and cost.  Offset Door Hinges

Turning round doorknobs/Levered Doorknobs - Round doorknobs can be difficult for people with limited grasp. With a lever, all you need to do to open a door is to push down on the lever. You can replace all the doorknobs in the house with levered ones but this means changing locks and that can get expensive. An alternative approach would be to put conversion lever attachments over existing round knobs. Locks would not need to be changed and the cost would be less with this problem solver.  Door Levers Attachments

Standing from a seated position/Furniture Risers or a Lift Chair - Standing from a low level can create problems for someone with limited leg strength. By raising the seat to a higher level, it takes less effort to stand, possibly making the task achievable. Furniture Riser can raise the whole chair from 2" to 5". Another option would be a Lift Chair. These chairs automatically lift the seat of the chair with the push of a button. Chairs online begin at about $600 and go up. My online purchase saved me about $300; I paid $600 when the suggested retail was $900. Shipping was free. An additional feature in many of these electronically operated chairs is that they also can recline with the push of a button.  Furniture Riser or Lift Chair

Turning Faucets/Automatic Faucets - Normal aging, a stroke, arthritis, or some other medical problem may cause the simple, everyday activity of turning a faucet to be frustrating.  An utomatic faucet can be mounted to your existing faucet. Simply run an object under the faucet and your water comes on automatically. It will then stay on until you move from under the sensor.  Automatic Faucet

Grasping and turning a small switch/Touch Lamps - Limited grasp caused by arthritis or other health problems can make the activity of holding a small object like a light switch and turning it difficult. A touch lamp can be operated by coming in contact with a metal surface on the lamp. You can buy new touch lamps or just put a Touch Lamp Converter into your existing lamps.  Touch Lamp Converter or Touch Lamp

Opening widow coverings/Motorized Window Blinds - Do you, a friend or relative have a dark house because the blinds were never opened? Sunlight can work wonders on a person's psyche making this an important problem to fix. The inability to reach the controls to operate window coverings is a very common problem. It is not unusual for furniture to block access. With motorized blinds, you use a remote to point and click to open or close blinds. A cheaper fix for those who can reach controls but find it difficult to turn wand controllers is to buy blinds where pulling a cord opens or closes the blinds.  Motorized Blinds

Getting over thresholds when using a wheelchair/Wheelchair friendly threshold - Your normal door threshold has a small hump so there is not a gap between the bottom of the door and the floor. Unfortunately, a wheelchair user must be very careful that both wheels hit the hump at the same time or the chair will rock, threatening a collision with the door frame. You can replace the raised threshold plate with a flat one but then must put a weather proofing strip on the bottom of the door to close the gap. This item is available at most hardware stores.

Getting out of bed/Bed Handle - For people with the problem of getting out of bed independently, a bed handle may be the solution. This bedrail gives a person something to pull up with, helps them turn in bed, or can provide support when standing. It is only about 1 1/2 feet long which is shorter than a normal bedrail. This short rail is not effective for keeping someone in bed, however, it provides something to grasp while being short enough to allow someone to swing their legs over the side to stand.  M-rail

Many times only minor changes are necessary to bring an obstacle down to size. The first step to problem solving is to recognize the actual stumbling block. Once identified, consider whether an alternative approaches would help you reach the goal.

Creating an Accessible Home - General Modifications

What I have observed is that people without physical limitations often do not appreciate how difficult simple everyday tasks can be to someone who is physically compromised.  Many times a small modification can remove an obstacle.  By presenting these examples of problems and solutions, I hope to raise awareness of problems and inspire people to look for answers.

PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS:

Doorways openings are too small/Offset Door Hinges –  The obvious answer is through construction - widen doorways.  There is a cheaper, less disruptive approach.  Offset door hinges will give you an extra 2 inches with very little effort and cost.   Offset Door Hinge

Turning round doorknobs/Levered Doorknobs – Round doorknobs can be difficult for people with limited grasp.  With a lever, all you need to do to open a door is to push down on the lever.  You can replace all the doorknobs in the house with levered ones but this means changing locks and that can get expensive.  An alternative approach would be to put conversion lever attachments over existing round knobs.  Locks would not need to be changed and the cost would be less with this problem solver.  Lever Door Handles

Standing from a seated position/Furniture Risers or a Lift Chair – Standing from a low level can create problems for someone with limited leg strength.  By raising the seat to a higher level, it takes less effort to stand, possibly making the task achievable.  Furniture Riser can raise the whole chair from 2” to 5”.  Another option would be a Lift Chair.  These chairs automatically lift the chair with the push of a button.  Chairs online begin at about $600 and go up.  My online purchase saved me about $300; I paid $600 when the suggested retail was $900.  Shipping was free.  An additional feature in many of these electronically operated chairs is that they also can recline with the push of a button.  Furniture Riseror Lift Chair

Turning Faucets/Automatic Faucets – Normal aging, a stroke, arthritis, or some other medical problem may cause the simple, everyday activity of turning a faucet to be frustrating.  An automatic faucet can be mounted to your existing faucet.  Simply run an object under the faucet and your water comes on automatically. It will then stay on until you move from under the sensor.   Online prices start at around $50.  Automatic Faucet

Grasping and turning a small switch/Touch Lamps – Limited grasp caused by arthritis or other health problems can make the activity of holding a small object like a light switch and turning it difficult.  A touch lamp can be operated by coming in contact with a metal surface on the lamp.  You can buy new touch lamps or just put a Touch Lamp Converter into your existing lamps.  Touch Lamp Converter or Touch

Opening widow coverings/Motorized Window Blinds – Do you, a friend or relative have a dark house because the blinds were never opened?  Sunlight can work wonders on a person’s psyche making this an important problem to fix.  The inability to reach the controls to operate window coverings is a very common problem.  It is not unusual for furniture to block access.  With motorized blinds, you use a remote to point and click to open or close blinds.  A cheaper fix for those who can reach controls but find it difficult to turn wand controllers is to buy blinds where pulling a cord opens or closes the blinds.    Motorized

Getting over thresholds when using a wheelchair/Wheelchair friendly threshold – Your normal door threshold has a small hump so there is not a gap between the bottom of the door and the floor.  Unfortunately, a wheelchair user must be very careful that both wheels hit the hump at the same time or the chair will rock, threatening a collision with the door frame.   You can replace the raised threshold plate with a flat one but then must put a weather proofing strip on the bottom of the door to close the gap.  This item is available at most hardware stores.

Getting out of bed/Bed Handle – For people with the problem of getting out of bed independently, a bed handle may be the solution. This bedrail gives a person something to pull up with, helps them turn in bed, or can provide support when standing.  It is only about 1 1/2 feet long which is shorter than a normal bedrail.  This short rail is not effective for keeping someone in bed, however, it provides something to grasp while being short enough to allow someone to swing their legs over the side to stand.   M-rail

Many times only minor changes are necessary to bring an obstacle down to size.  The first step to problem solving is to recognize the actual stumbling block.  Once identified, consider whether an alternative approaches would help you reach the goal.

I have only touched on a few problems but my website, http://EmpoweredLivingToday.com (ELT), may identify other problems and their solutions.   The products in this article can be found by entering the Keyword in the Search Box.  While you are there, explore the site. There is a Forum to ask for and share suggestions to overcome barriers, Tips for Empowered Living, and even games to add a little levity to you life. 

Understanding Accessible and Universal Design – Creating a Barrier Free Home

By creating a home environment that removes obstacles, we are better able to maintain our independence.  Instead of just accepting the loss of some abilities, maybe a few changes can overcome barriers.  This essay is the first in a series of articles to address problems causing stumbling blocks to self-sufficiency and possible solutions to these problems.  

Let’s start with the basics:  The “in” words are Universal Design.  With this in mind, I began my research at The Center for Universal Design in North Carolina.   It did not take me long to realize I was oversimplifying the solution.  There are two types of housing designs that I will address - Universal Design (UD) and Accessible Design (AD).  Their purposes are different.
 
Universal Design (UD) – The intent of this design is to build environments more usable by as many people as possible at little or no extra cost.  Universal Design benefits people of all ages and abilities.  This concept would be used by someone who wants to build a house that will likely meet their needs for their entire lifetime.  People choosing this design do not have disabilities but want features in their house that will work for them during normal aging.
 
Accessible Design (AD) - People looking for housing features to overcome barriers for specific disabilities need Accessible Design.  Accessible Design usually turns out best if a health care professional, such as an occupational therapist, works with the homeowner, the designer, builder, or remodeler to consider the specific needs of the person who will be living in the home.
 
People looking for architects, designers, or builders with knowledge and experience in Universal Design, or Accessible Design, might want to try contacting their local Center for Independent Living.  This is a nationwide network of centers whose job is to be knowledgeable about the professionals and services for people with disabilities in their geographical region.

Resources:
The Center For Universal Design - This website is a wealth of information.  Publications that are a must read if you are considering ways to make you home more accessible:  

• Home Modifications and Products for Safety and Ease of Use
• Simple Solutions: Home Automation Technology for Easy, Safe, and Accessible Living
• Universal Design and Accessible Housing Resources
• Home Modifications and Residential Remodeling Resources  

 
Center For Independent Living - This website will provide a list of Centers For Independent Living (CIL) throughout the country.  One of their responsibilities is to be aware of services for people with disabilities in their geographical area.  Contact the Center closest to you and ask for names of knowledgeable architects or builders.
 
National Association Of Home Builders - Another source of professionals who do modifications for accessibility are CAPS (Certified Aging in Place Specialists) graduates.  They are not Universal Design experts but they were interested enough in learning how to make modifications for people with disabilities that they took the CAPS program.  For a list of builders or remodelers who have a CAPS certification, go to the website of the National Association of Home Builders Research Center.

Help for visual problems

I am so excited I found this product and believe it can help many people with visual problems.

The PenFriend creates a talking label - how ingenious!.  Place one of the labels on the object and then record a description into the pen recorder.  When the tip of the pen is placed on the item label it will speak the recorded message.  This would be a great aid when taking medication, identifying containers of freezer or refrigerator foods, and an assortment of daily living activities.

Click on the picture to link to the product.

Memory Problems

Memory problems first showed up for me on my job when I had a case I needed to present to a supervisor.   This supervisor was the type of person who had no patience if you were not clear and succinct in your presentation.  In order to explain what happened with this client, I needed to recall various dates crucial to the outcome of the case.

My dilemma required a little creative problem solving and what I did turned a negative into a positive.  I created a document with a chronology of events with dates and descriptions.  There were a lot of dates to remember which almost took up a full page.  I kept one copy for myself and gave one copy to the person receiving the report.  My presentation went better than I had anticipated.  My “cheat sheet” helped me stay on track with no worries about flaws in my recall.  In fact, this technique helped those listening to follow my story better.   I left my supervisor shaking his head in appreciation.

I have used this trick with doctor’s visits.  With the assistance of these written notes, I can relate when symptoms first began and my response to treatment without having to worry about memory lapses.  By putting things in writing, I do not have to worry that the listener might miss an important point.

An unanticipated benefit is that these little brain exercises seem to be helping to train my brain to work more efficiently.  I feel I am sharper and quicker in thinking than ever before.  They say there are a lot of unused brain cells…maybe this will put a few spare ones to use.

Suzanne 

How I Made a Handicapped Scooter Work For Me

When I could still drive, my scooter allowed me to be independently out in the world. With my van and scooter lift, I could put my scooter in and out of the van in one piece. I could zip around town and only needed to be able to walk to the back of the van. The lift did all the work. One difficulty I had was closing the back lift gate but with the automated lift gate on some vans, this problem would be solved.

I was even able to grocery shop alone. The store scooters were too slow and more difficult to operate. My thumb, which operated the controls, would get tired and they are harder to turn.

 

 Using the following process, I was able to manage independent grocery shopping:  

    1.  When I enter a store, I would ask an employee to put a store cart at the end of the first aisle.
    2.  There was a small basket on my scooter. I would go up one aisle and down another filling my scooter basket.
    3.  At the end of the aisles, I would transfer things to the store cart.
    4.  I would then move the cart down two aisles and repeat the process.
    5.  The last aisle was close enough to a register for me to hold the side of the cart and get in line.
    6.  I could stand to empty the basket but usually a store clerk would help me.

One day an older, unknown gentleman came up to me and told me how proud he was of me.  (Take into account that he proceeded to tell the cashier that she could take the rest of the afternoon off after she finished his order and he did not work for the store.)

By making a few modifications to the way you go about a task, you can roll away barriers preventing independence.  Maybe you cannot do things the way you used to but, by changing your approach to the task, it is still achievable.  Start thinking, “I can do it.  I just need to figure out how.

 

Canine Assistants

	I always thought helper dogs were for blind or hearing impaired people. As I began to learn more about these dogs, I realized they also offered a variety of assistance to people with physical limitations. Service dogs can be trained to retrieve objects that are out of reach, pull a manual wheelchairs, open doors and turn on lights, retrieve help, aid with dressing or undressing, and assist in many other ways. Some service dogs are specially trained seizure response dogs, and there are dogs trained to offer a person counter balance when ambulating. One less tangible benefit is that these dogs can actually expand your world by giving you opportunities to meet people and get out in the world. This web site may help you find programs throughout the country: http://wolfpacks.com/products/servicedog/trainers.html When comparing the different programs consider the following: Does the organization offer to train your dog or does it train only their dogs? What kind of assistance is their service dogs trained to provide? Does the organization provide services only to a certain territory? You want to make sure you are in their service area. What are the costs to the recipient? Is there an age restriction? Some programs take children and adults and other limit how young the recipient can be. How long is the wait to get a dog? How long is the training camp for you with your dog? What are the costs to you for the camp? Some programs pay for training camp costs such as room and board and, others, leave these expenses up to the recipient. Is there support after the training camp? Check out this inspirational video about service dogs: http://www2.canineassistants.org/2008/07/may-2008-training-camp