Home Design Tips for Residents with Medical Issues

Hello World!  Welcome Friends!  As our population ages, thousands of people must redesign the interior of the home to accommodate for medical devices and other equipment. A new interior design is important because the changes allow a resident to live in the home safely. Use these tips to make changes to the home so that a person with medical issues can live independently.

Chair Lifts

Many elderly people own 2 story homes and don’t want to relocate as they get older. If an older person develops medical issues, using the stairs can become difficult. To allow second-floor access and reduce the risk of falls, consider installing a chair lift for stairs.

A stair lift allows the user to ride up and down the staircase on a motorized rail. The seat can fold inward, so that other people can walk up and down the stairs. The chair portion of the stair lift, or carriage, includes a seat belt. A stair lift is a device that allows elderly and disabled people to live independently, and avoid moving into a nursing home, explained keepmovingcare.com.

The area around the foot of the stairs should be clear of clutter, so that the user can access the chair easily. The same is true at the top of the stairs. Take steps to ensure that a user can safely sit down, ride the stair life and stand back up.

Smart Design Tips

As you design your home for someone who uses medical equipment, you can make other changes to improve the look of your home. Remodeling a bathroom vanity is an inexpensive update to a home. To keep your costs down, avoid any changes to the plumbing under your vanity, because plumbing changes are labor intensive and expensive. Choose a sink that is mounted underneath the vanity, so that the edge of the sink has a smooth appearance.

Even if you’re satisfied with home improvement design, it’s important to double-check on the progress of each project. Test cabinet doors, for example, to verify that they work properly and that there’s enough room to open the doors for those who may have arthritic hands or use a cane to stand.  If you hire a contractor, review each project frequently and ask questions along the way.

Make sure that your home has space to properly store a wheelchair, scooter or CPAP equipment when the items are not in use.

Other Considerations

Many of the interior design changes needed for someone with a medical condition are based on ease of mobility and access. The National MS Society points out that the home needs to be simplified. A person living with a medical condition needs to be able to find household items with less effort. Here are some ideas that you should consider:

Bed: Sleeping and resting play an important role in good health and well-being for people with a medical condition. Getting adjustable electric hospital beds is a great way to give your loved one top-quality care.

Lifts: Electric patient lifts for home use are essential devices that enhance accessibility and independence for individuals with limited mobility. These lifts are commonly used in homes to help people navigate stairs safely, reducing the risk of falls and making multi-level living more manageable.

Open space: Create open space in the home so that someone with a wheelchair, scooter or a walker can maneuver around the home. Plan for the turning radius of a wheelchair or a scooter, and also consider how wide your doorways are. To use these devices, you may need to change doors in your home or remove doors completely to create a wider pathway.

Shelving: People with medical issues need to be able to reach shelving easily, and traditional home designs may not meet that need. Consider installing lower shelves or using storage carts. Peg boards and hooks are also useful.

Bathroom design: Add railings, an elevated toilet seat and a shower chair to each of your bathrooms. These design changes will make it easier to people with limitations to use the shower and the toilet. Making these changes is important, because of the risk of falling in the bathroom.

Moving out of the family home can be traumatic for a person with medical issues. With proper planning, you can design a home that allows an elderly person to live independently. Use these ideas to design a safe home that is also attractive.

Click the links below for any posts you have missed:

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