10 signs of a home comfortable for an elderly person

In older people, mobility is often limited, vision problems appear, and the risk of falls and injuries increases. Therefore, it is important to ensure their convenient and comfortable living in the house. The space for life must be ergonomic and safe.

Lack of high thresholds

Do not make high thresholds between rooms; it is easy to trip over them. To ensure an “accessible environment” it is better for an elderly person to completely abandon their use. To keep the room quieter, odors from other rooms did not penetrate, the temperature was maintained, you can install a new door with an automatic threshold. When closing, it automatically lowers. The door fits snugly against the door frame. When opening obstacles to free movement will not be.

Minimum stairs

In the apartment of an elderly person there should not be obstacles for free and safe movement. It is better to abandon the stairs and steps. In private homes, you still have to overcome a flight of stairs in front of the front door. You need to install the railing, which you can hold on to when lifting.

Specific ergonomic parameters imply the observance of special requirements when arranging steps and ramps:

1. In places where the floor level drops to 30 centimeters, you need to replace the steps with a ramp with an angle of inclination of up to 8%.
2. Stair flights should be short and contain from 3 to 6 steps with only right angles of rotation.
3. The maximum protrusion of the steps above the risers is 1.5 centimeters.

Easy door opening

When choosing interior doors for a house where an elderly person will live, one should proceed from the ease of opening them. Sliding sash models offer smooth opening without any effort. Their canvases move apart and slide along the rail bases. Therefore, a slight movement of the hand and the barrier will be overcome. The doors are safe, because in the open state it is impossible to hit their side wing.

Smooth non-slip floor

The floors should be perfectly smooth and not slippery. Any careless movement on a ceramic or wood surface coated with glossy varnish could result in injury. When choosing a floor covering, special porcelain tiles, cork floors, and brushed wood should be preferred. These are reliable surfaces to ensure stability and prevent falls.

Convenient Entrance

Tilts and tying shoelaces due to age turn into a real test. First you need to think about a place to sit down. For this, banquets are suitable - soft sitting on the legs, which will allow shoes to sit. The storage system in the lobby should also be equipped with ergonomics and convenience in mind. It can be ready-made combinations of modular hallways with a hanger and hooks at shoulder level, shoe cabinets with an optimal height, a cabinet with shelves for storing hats and other accessories.

Switch backlight

So that an elderly person can easily find the switch in the dark, you need to use special accessories - backlit switches. They practically do not consume electricity, while becoming reliable helpers in the twilight. All sockets and switches should be located at a height of 1-1.3 meters from the floor. This will eliminate unnecessary and uncomfortable movements.

Anti-slip rugs and handles in the bathroom and toilet

Two-thirds of elderly people fall in the bathroom - such is the sad statistic. And the reason for this is a wet and slippery floor. To make it as safe as possible, place anti-slip mats on it. Inside the shower or bath, you need to fasten the handles or small handrails on the wall, for which you can hold, sitting and standing up. The holders should be fixed to the walls near the toilet in the bathroom. It is important that they are securely attached and made of non-slip material.

Handles for amenities

Convenient handles will be required not only in the bathroom and toilet. It is worth equipping all the cabinets and cabinets in the kitchen with additional D-shaped handles. This will allow you to open and close cabinets without unnecessary effort. Consider purchasing a refrigerator with long handles along the door. Such accessories will facilitate the life of an elderly person.

Comfortable furniture

Furniture is best used with rounded edges, no corners. This ensures safety against accidental impacts. It is important to provide for the storage of necessary things at the level of the belt, so that people of age do not have to bend over again. Where possible, it is best to prefer small pieces of furniture that move easily when necessary. For example, instead of a massive chair, put a rocking chair.

Proper bed height

An elderly person should be comfortable not only lying on the bed, but also getting up from it. With age, it is more difficult to climb from a low height. Feet should not hang down, but should stand on the floor. It should be comfortable to sit on the bed first, and then lie down. A quality mattress also plays an important role. Mattresses of medium hardness should be chosen. If you need to make the bed more comfortable, you can use a softening topper.