There are many different types of disabilities; therefore, when making changes to adjust a home for someone with a disability, you first need to consider the type of disability, the individual’s specific needs, and the dimensions to follow based on disability access laws.
Here are some things to consider when adjusting the home to meet the needs of someone with a disability:
1, Counters
In the kitchen, you may have to adapt counters.
They may need to be shorter.
Leave an open space so that someone in a wheelchair can move closer to the counter and have room for a wheelchair to maneuver underneath.
You will also need to consider making sure there is space available to maneuver a wheelchair in the kitchen.
2, Appliances
Some other objects that can be useful in the kitchen for someone with a disability include an electric can opener, an electric jar opener and a food processor for vegetable cutting.
When buying a stove, make sure the knobs are in front so the person in a wheelchair can reach them and turn the oven on or the top burners.
3, Toilets
In the bathroom, you should consider having elevated toilet seats.
Make sure you have bars by the toilet for someone who lacks the balance to hold onto while sitting down or standing up.
If you have someone in a wheelchair, you need to have available a sliding board to transfer them from the wheelchair to the toilet.
4, Sinks
Extended levers on the faucet make it easy to turn on and off the water.
5, Bath Mats
If the bathroom has a bathtub, make sure you have a floor-length mat with a non-slip backing to adhere to the floor to prevent the disabled person from tripping over the mat.
6, Outlets
Arrange the furniture in the room, so outlets are easily accessible.
7, Lighting
Make sure your lamps are touchable or react to sound so that the person with the disability can turn lights on and off when no one is around to help them.
8, Phones
Ensure the phone is cordless so the individual can carry it around with them and answer a call when the phone rings.
9, Kitchenware
You can buy silverware with Styrofoam, making it easier for someone with a disability to hold the utensil and use it while eating.
Please make sure all the utensils and pots, and pans have white surfaces not to tip over when used by someone with a disability.
10, Door handles
Use handles instead of knobs so the individual with a disability can open and close doors by themselves without assistance.
When buying a refrigerator, make sure the handle is either on the left or right-hand side depending on the needs of the individual.
11, Doors And Walkways
When adapting the home for a wheelchair, make sure the doors open wide enough for the wheelchair to go through and the halls are uncluttered.
12, For The Blind
When adapting a home for someone who is blind, make sure he knows the layout and design to know which room he has come into and can count the number of doors or handles.
13, For The Deaf
When adapting the home to the deaf, make sure you will have a TTD — teletype device so the individual can make phone calls for themselves.
14, Doorbells
Connect the doorbell to the lights to flash when a phone call comes in or when someone rings the doorbell for someone who is deaf.
15, Showers
Finally, you may want to consider putting in a shower with a built-in seat and shower head with a wand that can be lowered so someone can sit down and shower by themselves or roll their wheelchair into the shower easier to bathe themselves.
Conclusion
These are just a few things to consider when adapting a home to meet the needs of someone with a disability.
Above all, make sure to ask individuals with a disability what their needs are to adjust the home for them.
