Disabled Access

If you have someone in your family is disabled then you will know how difficult it can be for them to negotiate some of the things that we take for granted in the home. There are a lot of things that may cause harm, whether it be a trip or fall or an obstruction that prevents them from getting where they need to be with ease. The most important one is to remove all rugs or mats from the home as these can cause a bad trip of fall situation if they give way underneath them.

Think about rearranging the furniture to provide wider passageways; whether the person is using crutches or in a wheelchair, they will need a lot more space to move around, and anything that makes their life easier will help in the long run.

Bathroom access can be very difficult, as we take for granted the movements we use for the toilet, shower or bath. If you have a shower then make sure that you can put a chair in there for ease, and with a bath fit a rail to help the getting in and out of the bath tub. Disabled people will not necessarily want your help, just want the tools to be able to help themselves. There are also simple lifts that you can get hold of if the person needs more help than just a rail; these are collapsible and store easily, but provide a great help when needed.

In the kitchen, a lot of people consider switching the fridge and freezer cupboards, so that the fridge is on the bottom. This makes it much easier if a disabled person is at home in the day by themselves and makes them less reliant on other members of the family.

In terms of long term disability, there may be modifications you need to make to your home as door ways are generally made too thin for wheelchair access. If you have steps at the front of the house and you have someone on crutches or in a wheel chair then think about getting a ramp, as the steps can be a real issue.

If you are making any long term modifications then you will need to consult your Cheap House Insurance provider.