Five Tips to Improve Access in your Home

If you experience mobility issues, investing in disability adaptations is a sensible way to support both your independence and your safety.

There’s a growing demand for disability adaptations in the UK. With an ageing population and only 13% of homes in England meeting basic accessibility standards, many people are living in properties that aren’t designed to meet their needs.

An accessible home starts with small changes, like removing trip hazards and installing handrails. These minor tweaks can make a big difference to how someone moves around and interacts with their living space.

In this article, we’ll reveal our top 5 tips for making both practical and meaningful improvements, so you can start enjoying every room in your home again.

Start with Entryways and Exits

Disability adaptations are key to creating a home that enhances daily life. When your mobility is compromised, even the smallest issues can become big obstacles.

Smooth, step-free entry points can make your comings and goings feel less like climbing a mountain.

If you use a walking frame or wheelchair, durable and weather-proof ramps with a gentle slope are a better alternative to stairs. Just remember to make sure they’re wide enough for your mobility devices to pass through so you can easily navigate up and down them.  

Handrails or grab rails are also a good accompaniment to ramps, as they give you something to hold on to and steady yourself against.

Make Bathrooms Safer and Easier to Use

Accessible bathrooms are our speciality. With over 30 years of bathing expertise, you could say we know a thing or two about how to make them as user-friendly as possible.

Some of the most common hazards you’ll find in a bathroom include slippery floors, high-sided baths, and poor layouts.

Mobility bathrooms can help tackle these issues as they offer accessible solutions that can be tailored to individual needs.

Essentials such as grab rails are fixed and installed at lower levels to make them easier to hold onto. They tend to be placed by toilets, showers and baths to make moving from seated and standing positions much easier.

Slip-resistant flooring helps to reduce the risk of falls in wet conditions. There are lots of stylish options available, from textured tiles to vinyl with anti-slip coatings.

Whether you choose a walk-in bath or shower depends on your habits and preferences. Walk-in baths feature water-tight doors, low thresholds and contoured seating so you can enjoy extra-long soaks in the tub.

Walk-in showers provide step-free access, making them ideal for wheelchair users and any carers assisting them. They tend to be a better use of space and are great if you prefer a quick and snappy cleansing routine. You can also get handrails and grab rails to give you something to easily hold onto if you need it. 

If you’d like more information about mobility bathrooms, contact our Premier Care team for a free brochure, professional advice and expert installation.

Improve Mobility Between Floors

Homes with multiple floors can pose a real challenge for people with mobility issues. In some cases, poor accessibility can close off upper bedrooms and bathrooms entirely.

Stair lifts are a safe and easy way to travel between floors. They reduce the risk of falls or straining from climbing the stairs, and they help people regain a sense of independence.

As with anything, though, safety should always come first. That’s why stair lifts are fitted with seatbelts and have simple controls with smooth start/stop functions to prevent sudden jolts. 

They’re also designed to be comfortable, with padded seating and supportive armrests for a more relaxing ride.

​Professional installation is recommended to ensure your stair lift is custom-fitted to your staircase layout. Plus, it’ll give you peace of mind about its long-term reliability and performance.

Sturdy and well-fixed handrails at the top and bottom of your staircase can be a helpful support when getting on and off the stair lift. While clear visibility on landing areas via motion-sensor lights is a practical and popular option.  

Adapt Living and Sleeping Areas

As much as open-plan living is all the fashion these days, it does have its accessibility benefits too. More open spaces reduce obstacles and remove unnecessary doorways where walkers and wheelchairs can get stuck.

To maximise the effectiveness of open-plan spaces, there are some layout improvements you can make, including rearranging furniture.

Moving large pieces that could obstruct pathways is key and will help make areas feel less crowded. You can also place frequently used items in easy-access spots to ensure they’re always there when you need them.

For comfort and support, low-level chairs and beds can help make getting up less of a struggle, especially if you’ve been sitting or lying down for a long period of time. 

Widening doorways and lowering thresholds for mobility aids will stop you from regularly catching edges and tripping over. And height accessible light switches and sockets are a smart upgrade for illuminating rooms and charging devices. 

Although rugs and mats may look nice, they are unfortunately a common culprit for trips and falls, as are loose cables and wires from electricals. Making sure your floor space is clear of all of these things will give you more confidence with every step.  

By making these changes, you’ll not only boost your physical abilities, but you’ll also make the emotional side of dealing with mobility issues much easier to manage.

Don’t Overlook the Small but Important Details

Looking at your home through an accessibility lens can be overwhelming. Don’t panic, though, as small and manageable updates can work wonders.

All you need to do is think holistically about quick wins and where you could benefit from easy install changes the most. 

Grab rails are the most obvious solution, as they can transform hallways, corridors and bedrooms and enable you to get about under your own steam.

Simple swaps like bathroom knobs for lever-handle taps are another high-impact, low-effort upgrade, as are easy-grip door handles for people with weakened grip strength.

Illuminating dark corners and keeping hallways and staircases well-lit will help you navigate even the trickiest areas of your home with ease. Plus, automatic lighting is a great option for people who struggle to operate light switches on the move.

Whatever accessibility solutions you go for, make sure everything is routinely checked so that it stays safe and secure for the long haul. And don’t forget to explore funding options. Your home adaptations could be eligible for things like the Disabled Facilities Grant, which you can access via your local council.

Making Your Accessible Home a Reality

If your home feels more like an obstacle course than a comfortable, safe retreat, it’s time to consider your accessibility options.

Disability adaptations are a positive investment in your independence and safety, and as we’ve covered already, there are plenty of options available to meet your specific needs.

If you’re particularly interested in adapting your bathroom, then our expert Premier Care team can help you create a bespoke design that makes accessing the toilet and washing facilities less of a challenge.

To explore our tailored solutions, contact us today or request a free consultation.