Four Home Modifications that Offer Big Results
If your elderly family member is planning to age in place, modifying her home can give her an extension on the time she can stay where she is. Some modification might be in order. These four changes seem small on the surface, but they can change how your senior interacts with her home.
Elder Care in Laguna Woods CA: Home Modifications
Ramps.
Ramps are something that might occur to you if your senior is in a wheelchair, but they can be just as helpful if she’s not. Ramps offer a gradual incline that can give your senior the space she needs to use her cane or walker effectively and safely. She also doesn’t have to worry about stairs getting in her way. Ramps might be used inside the home, but they’re definitely something to consider at exterior doors. You’ll probably need some sort of permit for this, too.
Grab Bars.
Hand rails, or grab bars, are a sturdy wall-mounted rail that you attach to the studs behind your senior’s wall. These are really helpful anywhere your senior might be vulnerable and off balance, like in the shower or near the toilet. But they can be useful in other areas, too, like in hallways or anywhere that there isn’t something for your senior to reach out for so that she can stabilize herself.
Wider Doorways.
This one is a little more complicated. Some homes, especially older homes, have interior doorways that are rather narrow. When your senior tries to use a walker or a wheelchair in a house with narrow doorways, she can run into some big problems. Widening the doorways even a couple of inches can make a massive difference for her mobility. This might be something you’d need the help of someone else to do and you might need a permit.
Modified Thresholds.
Along with the width of the doorway, something else to consider is the threshold of the door. Some doorways might have a slightly raised bump, especially if the flooring between the two areas is different. You might find that the threshold is easy enough to remove on your own, but some are a little more complicated. It might require a little more investigation to find a solution for this one.
If you’re not able to make any modifications just yet, you’re not alone. Lots of caregivers find themselves having to budget both time and money for much-needed home modifications. In the meantime, elder care providers can help you to keep your senior safe when she’s at home and you’re not able to be there with her.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering elder care in Laguna Woods, CA, please contact the caring staff at Easy Living Home Care today. Providing Non-Medical Home Care Services in Orange County, CA since 2009. Call for Assistance: (949) 282-5017 or (949) 842-6831
At a very young age it was always Ms. LaPorte’s passion to work with the elderly. She was a caregiver at a nursing home in high school and college and volunteered in senior centers and senior events held by the city in which she grew up. After graduation, Ms. LaPorte became a special education teacher for sixteen years.
She put her teaching career on the sidelines to raise two wonderful children, during which her passion for the elderly inspired her to start Easy Living Home Care in 2009. Ms. Laporte wanted to help people, especially seniors, find competent, qualified, and caring in-home care at reasonable rates.
Ms LaPorte takes an active role in conducting and managing all operations of her business. She is patient, compassionate and listens. Ms. Laporte is always available to her clients and staff.
In her spare time, Lori volunteers for the American Red Cross and Leashes of Love canine rescue organization.
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