22 February 2022
Written by Hannah Ownsworth
When it comes to improving accessibility, it can be easy to forget about hallways and entrances, focussing more on specific rooms around the house to see what can be done. Yet the all the most specially adapted rooms in the world can be useless if you can’t actually get into them.
As part of our series on home adaptations, we’re looking at ways different areas around the home can be improved to make them more accessible. From small changes through to bigger adaptation projects, we look at ways you can adapt your hallways, landings, and entrances to help make them more accessible.
Key safes are a really useful way to give trusted people a way to get authorised access to your home. Rather than leaving a key for someone hidden somewhere on your property or creating multiple copies of your house key, having a key safe means you only need to tell someone the code to get to the key. This can be very handy if you have carers or family coming to visit but feel vulnerable leaving the door unlocked. Having a key safe means they can let themselves in without any issues.
A well-placed grab rail is a great way to get extra support when entering or leaving your house. There are a variety of different styles of grab rails available, including one designed to look like an innocuous plant holder to be extra discreet. Just make sure to look for one that’s suitable for use outdoors. It’ll also need to be fixed to a solid wall in order to be used safely.
If you have a step up to your front or back door that is just that little bit too high, then a half step may help. Half steps are smaller steps designed to help reduce the distance you have to lift your leg to get up over a threshold, single step, or kerb.
Some half steps are height adjustable, with the ability to adjust the height of each foot individually, so even if the surface it’s on isn’t completely flat you can trust you’ll have a stable surface to stand on.
Video doorbells (sometimes called smart doorbells) are an effective way to help both keep you safe at home and to avoid missing important callers at the door. Video doorbells are usually connected to either an app on your phone or a base unit that will allow you to see who’s at the door and speak to them. Useful if you find it difficult to get to the door in time or worry about nuisance callers. By using a video doorbell, you can decide if you want to speak to or deal with the person at the door without ever having to leave your seat.
The right lighting can help make all the difference when it comes to reducing your risk of falls, especially in the middle of the night when you’re trying to get to the bathroom without turning on the main light and potentially waking everyone else up. A motion detection light will help keep your path lit in the moment you need it, so you don’t end up tripping over a discarded toy or a pet prowling around.
You can also get motion detection lights to fit above your front or back door at home, so if you ever come home late at night you won’t be fumbling around trying to unlock your door in the dark.
Shop all motion detection lights
Not all doors are wide enough to be able to get a wheelchair through or other wheeled equipment. If you’re struggling to get through the doorways around your home, it may be time to speak to a professional about getting your doors widened so they’re more suitable for your needs.
If you use a wheelchair or any other type of wheeled mobility aid, a threshold ramp is a great way to help make it easier for you to get into your home if the way is currently blocked by steps. If you only have a couple of steps to contend with, a smaller ramp may be a good solution to consider. You can either get ones that can be permanently fixed in place or those that are portable, so you can take it with you and use as needed.
If there are more than just one or two steps leading up to your property, you may want to consider having a permanent ramp fitted. For a permanent ramp, it’s a good idea to speak to a professional installer to make sure you get the right ramp to meet your needs.
Finding stairs increasingly difficult to manage? A stairlift could be just the thing you need to help you get around your home again with greater ease. Your staircase doesn’t have to be straight either, there are curved stairlifts available to fit with curved staircases.
To make sure you get the best stairlift for your needs look for trusted and reliable installer. We highly recommend our stairlifts partner, who are a nationwide supplier or stairlifts. You can find out more about them and the services they offer here.
Looking for more tips and advice on adaptations you can make to the rest of your home? You can download our full guide here or choose the room you need help with below:
Alternatively, if you’re not sure where to start with adapting your home to meet your needs, see our Home Living Consultation Service where a registered Occupational Therapist will assess your needs and offer recommendations for changes you can make.
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