Adaptive Housing measures are taken to make a home more accessible for persons who deal with mobility or accessibility issues on a routine basis. Simply knowing what Adaptive Housing means doesn’t necessarily equate to understanding the benefits of Adaptive Housing.
When thinking of Adaptive Housing, you must consider how lives can be improved with adaptations to living spaces. Accessibility, safety, and independence are all life changes that Adaptive Housing allows occupants of a home to enjoy
Accessibility
Persons that have difficulty maneuvering at home or in public often use wheeled devices to help them maneuver. These devices include wheeled walkers, wheelchairs, or scooters.
Those who use wheeled mobility devices often have issues even entering their home. Doorways are often too narrow for wheelchairs or walkers to access. Adaptive Housing can address options to improve accessibility.
Additionally, steps or staircases are impossible for those dependent on wheeled mobility devices. Ensuring ground floor access or a ramp for entering the home is essential for accessibility. Additionally, adding a lift in homes with a second floor helps people dependent on wheeled mobility devices to have access to their entire home rather than limiting them to a small portion of the house.
Another accessibility modification includes doors that are easy to open. Sometimes that means an automatic door, and others, that means the doors are lighter, making them easier to open.
Safety
In addition to making a home easy to access, Adaptive Housing makes a home safer. Consider how difficult it can be for someone who uses a wheeled mobility device to shower, use the toilet, or safely maneuver through the house.
One simple adjustment that can be made for increased safety is ensuring that clutter, furnishings, or electrical cords are removed from pathways. Install walk-in or roll-in showers, shower chairs, and bathroom grab rails. Remove unnecessary doors in your house so there is more freedom of movement.
In the kitchen and anywhere else in the home, you can have slip-resistant flooring installed. If the flooring is non-slip, it can help prevent falls for those with limited mobility or other mobility impairments.
Consider painting your thresholds a different color than the rest of your flooring to help with depth perception, especially if someone in your house is visually impaired. On stairways, colored strips between the stair treads and the risers help to make the edges of the steps easier to see.
Independence
Often, people who struggle with age or disability-related mobility issues find themselves struggling to remain independent. One of the best benefits of Adaptive Housing is renewed independence. It allows people to stay at home even if their health and mobility issues are new to them.
One room in the house where it is most difficult to retain independence is the kitchen. Counters, sinks, cabinets, and even appliances are often too high for those in wheelchairs to use. People with limited sight can have difficulty identifying ingredients or utensils.
One tip for giving more independence is installing low shelving between countertops and upper cabinets for easy-to-reach storage. Another is to install easy-to-open cabinet and drawer handles. Purchase a pot stabilizer to help keep pots stationary while you’re stirring them to help prevent spills and burns.
Consult a Pro
If you are making adjustments to your home, it’s a good idea to consult with occupational and physical therapists to learn what adaptations you should make. A physical therapist can help you know what changes to make for safety, accessibility, and independence. Therefore a team approach with the therapist and your contractor, you can determine the best options and cause of action to move forward with making your home more accessible and safe.
Final Thoughts
Adaptive Housing helps those who have reached an advanced age or those who deal with physical impairments maintain a standard of independent living within their homes. Accessibility and safety are additional benefits of Adaptive Housing changes.