Accessibility is more important than ever in today’s world. Not only are companies becoming more accommodating, understanding the specific needs and challenges their diverse audiences face, but individual consumers are thinking more carefully about accessibility too. This is particularly evident in the real estate market. After all, in today’s uncertain economy, most people are buying homes they want to stay in for a lifetime.
Even if you don’t have mobility issues and other similar problems to worry about today, there’s a good chance you might face several challenges as you get older. Investing in making your house more comfortable and convenient now could save you from several headaches in the years to come. Plus, a more accessible home means you can accommodate a wider range of house guests. Here are just some of the best, most effective ways to optimize your home for accessibility.
Transform Your Bathroom
The first step in making your home more accessible is considering which parts of your property are most likely to cause a problem to those with mobility issues or disabilities. The bathroom might be one of the most essential parts of the home, but it’s also an area where many accidents can happen if you’re not careful. With that in mind, think about how you can transform your bathroom space. While you don’t necessarily have to install grab rails and shower seats yet, you can consider looking into home improvements that will make it easier to adapt as you get older. Motion-activated lighting eliminates the need to fumble for switches in the dark. Even switching from a bath to a large shower with enough space for a seat can be a good idea for those focusing on accessibility.
Update Your Kitchen
Speaking of rooms that can pose several threats to people with disabilities and mobility issues, the kitchen is perhaps the riskiest place in your property, alongside your bathroom and staircase. Making sure it’s easy to navigate your kitchen easily is important to ensuring anyone can use it. Consider installing great kitchen lighting and repositioning items in your home to ensure the things you use most are most accessible (on lower shelves and in floor-based cupboards). You could even consider investing in extendible drawers, which make it easier to pull appliances and cutlery down to your level, without having to reach too high, or use step ladders.
Upgrade Your Lighting
Investing in good lighting for your home is beneficial for several reasons. First, you’ll reduce the number of risks you and your family members encounter, by ensuring everyone can make their way around your property easily. Secondly, great lighting makes a home look more modern and welcoming, making it more likely to appeal to visitors, and buyers alike. Make sure you have plenty of options for both natural and artificial lighting throughout your home, from motion-activated lights, to lights you can control with smart applications. You might also invest in larger windows, which allow your home to soak up more natural sunlight and heat. This could even help to reduce your energy costs.
Install a Domestic Lift
You don’t have to wait until you’re using a walker or a wheelchair before you consider investing in a lift to help you navigate multiple stories in your home, and adding a domestic lift can add value to a home and improve the appeal of your property if you’re trying to sell. It also makes your life easier for as long as you stay within the same house. A domestic lift doesn’t just help you to get up and down stairs when you’re struggling with movement, it can also make it easier to carry laundry between floors, put children to bed, and even move cleaning supplies and equipment to new rooms. Plus, with various design options you can make your lift as sleek and stylish as the rest of your home.
Experiment with New Technology
Finally, tech isn’t just an excellent way to make your home more fun and modern, it can also make your life more convenient and your property more accessible too. A smart speaker can be used to control various aspects of your home, from your television and stereo to your lighting and even your heating and cooling systems. Smart technology can also help you to keep your property secure, with intelligent safety solutions, or assist you in reducing energy costs. Smart heating tools can adapt their functions throughout the day, based on the ambient temperature of a room, so you don’t have to remember to turn heating systems up or down yourself.
Invest in an Accessible Home
Investing in a more accessible home isn’t just a great idea when you’re getting older or looking after family members with mobility issues. The strategies above can also help to improve your quality of life, make your home more convenient, and attract a wider range of real estate buyers.
