​Examples of common disability adaptations in the home

In some of our more recent blog posts we have talked a lot about the impact of a disability or a serious injury on a family, and consequently the need to adapt the family home to provide the patient with the best possible quality of life.

In the years we have spent working alongside victims of serious injury and disability, we have found that not many people are aware of the kinds of things that need to happen to a home in order to reduce the difficulty of everyday tasks they may have previously taken for granted.

So, what are some of the most common disability adaptations for the home?

Minor and major adaptations

Adaptations of this kind can be broadly split into two categories: minor and major.

The types of adaptation you require obviously depend on your injury or disability, as well as the level and kind of assistance that you need on a day-to-day basis.

If you rent a home from an housing association, before major adaptations can be made to a property, it is often a requirement for your needs to be assessed by an occupational therapist

Some of the common adaptations that can be made to a home include:

Internal - general

● Fitting stair rails (minor)

● Lowering locks (minor)

● Installing intercoms and door unlocking systems (minor)

● Installing lever handles on doors (minor)

● Fitting additional lighting (minor)

● Widening doors (minor)

● Automated memory prompts (minor)

● Accessible window openings (minor)

● Medication aids (minor)

● Adapted telephones and communication aids (minor)

● Installing vertical lifts (major)

● Room extensions (major)

● Installing stairlifts (major)

● Ceiling track hoists (major)

● Redevelopment to new open-plan, free-flowing space (major)

Kitchens

● Lowering appliances and appliance mains switches (minor)

● Lowering storage space (minor)

● Creating additional storage space (minor)

● A new accessible kitchen (major)

Bathrooms

● Overbath showers (minor)

● Special baths (minor)

● Special toilets (minor)

● Step-in showers (minor)

● Fitting lever taps (minor)

● Extending pull-cord switches (minor)

● Provision of non-slip surfaces (minor)

● Accessible wet room (major)

External

● Widening paths (minor)

● Handrails near entrances and exits (minor)

● Fitting paved areas (minor)

● Additional outdoor lighting (minor)

● Installing ramps (minor)

A better quality of life

An unexpected injury or disability to a loved one could change their life forever. In order to ensure they have the best quality of life possible, anything that could cause them problems in their day-to-day life needs to be taken into account and improved upon where possible, and it’s amazing to see just how much can be done to help them.

However, as you can imagine from the extensive list above, making adaptations of this kind can be very expensive and time consuming. Thankfully compensation can help to make the process easier and ensure they have a family home that is both practical and comfortable.