What Makes a Home Fully Accessible?
Having mobility issues, temporary or permanent, is a topic many people face as we navigate through life. No one likes to think about not being able to get around but it is a reality for many retirees.
Living in a home that is fully wheelchair accessible may not seem sexy but is an important detail in order to age-in-place comfortably.
If you want to avoid a LTC home or retirement home for as long as you can, then living in a fully accessible home gives you options for safe and cost effective home care.
So what are the aspects of a home that make it fully accessible?
- No stairs anywhere – one level living with no steps to get into the home or anywhere inside the home.
- All doors 38” wide – large passageways helps navigation
- Large washrooms – 5-foot turn radius to navigate easily in the space
- Walk-in showers – bathtubs can be dangerous and hard for home care
- 2 exposed walls beside toilet – clear spaces for grab bars and no cabinets hindering the space around the toilet
- Recessed washroom vanity – knee space under the counter
- No islands in the kitchen – islands reduce the amount of floor space
- Lower upper cabinets – reduce the height so reaching up is easier
- Open concept layouts – reducing wasted space in hallways
- Short travel distance to front door –encourages individuals to come and go from their home more often
- Large garages – allowing individuals to open their car door fully inside the garage
Looking to learn more? Contact us to find out if fully accessible housing is for you!
Written by Katie Graham