Housing for people with disabilities in the UK is some of the best you will find in Europe. With local councils fitting ramps to homes and providing ground floor living for wheelchair users, disabled people receive good levels of help. If you own your own home however, you will need to take care of fitting ramps yourself. Depending on your situation you may be eligible for a grant to cover the costs.
Adapting your home for independent living is relatively easy. Before you start however, contact your local experts in Bristol Go Access ltd. Depending on access to your home you may need to seek permission to add a ramp. A wheelchair ramp is just one addition to your home that will ensure independent living is possible. Below are some more tips on adaptations you should make.
Housing for People with Disabilities : Removing Risks around the Home
There are many risks in the home that should be eliminated when a home is for a wheelchair user or someone with limited mobility. All rugs should be removed that are not fixed to the ground. Obstacles around the home need to be removed too. Open spaces should be available in all areas, allowing for the free movement of a wheelchair. High shelves should be removed or not used.
Housing for People with Disabilities : Safety
Independent living for disabled people can refer to those who use a wheelchair, the elderly, the partially sighted, or those with learning difficulties. For all of these categories, a panic alarm should be fitted to the home. The bathroom is an area where many accidents happen. If you have the funding to do so, then remove the bath tub and fit a walk in shower. Slip and falls in the bathroom are common, so ensure that the panic alarm is accessible from the bathroom too.
The kitchen is another room in the home where accidents happen too often. Gas cookers are a very bad idea. Gas leaks are one risk, and naked flames should be avoided. The elderly can become forgetful and leave their gas cooker on. Gas boilers should be safety checked, and they should always be of the most modern type where no naked flame is exposed.
There are many other safety features that you can add to your kitchen. These include easy grab taps, the introduction of a half step for reaching things on low shelves, and safety kettles that cannot be knocked over as they sit in their own safety stand.
These are just some adaptations you can make to a home to ensure it is safe for independent living. The elderly and disabled are very vulnerable. So, ensure the home has a burglar alarm and that there are safety locks on all windows and doors. If you have an elderly relative living alone, make sure to visit them every day, or provide them with a big button mobile phone that they can call you from and receive calls from you to ensure that they are OK.